Laparoscopic surgery of congenital paraesophageal hernia in newborns and infants.

INTRODUCTION

Congenital paraesophageal hernia (CPH) is a rare pathology in pediatric patients. Clinical signs may occur as early as in newborns, which means it requires early surgical repair.

CLINICAL CASES

This is a series of three patients under 1 year of age diagnosed with type IV CPH - with symptoms occurring since they were newborns - who underwent laparoscopic surgical repair. One patient had been diagnosed prenatally. Age at surgery was 6 days, 36 days, and 9 months, respectively. Weight at surgery was 3.60 kg, 3.79 kg, and 8.20 kg, respectively. The patients underwent laparoscopy, with removal of the hernia sac, closure of the diaphragmatic pillars, placement of a reinforcement absorbable mesh, and Nissen fundoplication. Mean operating time was 130 minutes. No intraoperative complications were recorded. One patient developed a sliding hernia, which was subsequently repaired without complications. Mean follow-up time was 24 months.