Redescending Stomach: A Rare and Potentially Lethal Complication of Gastric Herniation.

Large gastric hernias are common and usually cause minor symptoms. Rarely, complete intrathoracic herniation of the stomach is complicated by strangulation. The underlying mechanism can be gastric volvulus or the less recognized phenomenon of gastric fundus redescent. We describe a case where this rare but potentially lethal complication of gastric herniation is present. Additionally, we show that gastric pneumatosis, a sign associated with ischemia, can be initially visualized on a plain chest radiograph in this setting. Redescent of the fundus is a possible, but unrecognized cause of gastric strangulation in intrathoracic stomachs.