Hiatus hernia

Risk factors include obesity, increased intra-abdominal pressure from various conditions, and a previous hiatus operation.

May be asymptomatic or may present with heartburn, dysphagia, odynophagia, hoarseness, asthma, shortness of breath, chest pain, anaemia or haematemesis, or some combination of these.

Contrasted upper gastrointestinal series (also known as an upper GI or as a barium oesophagram) is the key investigation.

Treatment depends on the patient's symptoms and the anatomical configuration of the hernia.

Uncomplicated sliding hiatus hernias are treated symptomatically with medical therapy, although some patients may select surgical therapy. Complicated hiatus hernias (those with bleeding, volvulus, or obstruction) have a stronger indication for surgical repair.

Complications include obstruction, bleeding, volvulus with and without strangulation or necrosis, and Barrett's oesophagus.

Hiatus hernia is the protrusion of intra-abdominal contents through an enlarged oesophageal hiatus of the diaphragm. A hiatus hernia most commonly contains a variable portion of the stomach; less commonly, it may contain transverse colon, omentum, small bowel, or spleen, or some combination of these organs. The herniated contents are usually contained within a sac of peritoneum.