Morgagni hernia is a type of hernia that occurs due to congenital abnormalities at the level of the retroxiphoid area. The congenital abnormalities presented by people with Morgagni hernia involve an unusual positioning of the diaphragm. In patients diagnosed with Morgagni hernia, the diaphragm takes the shape of a triangle, and this triangular region has been called “the foramen of Morgagni”. Morgagni hernia commonly occurs in the right side of the lower abdomen, although the congenital diaphragmatic defect is sometimes bilateral.
The process of diagnosing Morgagni hernia can be very problematic for doctors, as most patients with this type of hernia don’t always have specific symptoms. In some cases, the hernia can generate gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms, rendering doctors unable to promptly establish a correct diagnose. Sometimes, Morgagni hernia can involve obstruction of the bowel, in which case the disorder is easier to identify. The most common symptoms of hernia in both children and adults are: abdominal pain that intensifies with movement, swollen abdomen, difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting.
When doctors suspect the presence of Morgagni hernia in patients, they can reveal additional signs of the disorder by performing X-ray tests, computerized tomography, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), or laparoscopy. In the last few years, laparoscopy has proved to be a very reliable medical procedure, suitable for both diagnosing and treating Morgagni hernia. Laparoscopic surgery is performed via a laparoscope, a thin, tube-shaped medical instrument that has a small camera attached to its lower end. The laparoscope is introduced inside the body through the oral cavity and down the esophageal tract, until it reaches inside the abdominal cavity. The doctors are able to observe the progress of the procedure on a TV screen, receiving real-time images captured by the laparoscopic video-camera.
Laparoscopic surgery has revolutionized the medical treatment for many types of internal disorders and nowadays this modern medical procedure is preferred by surgeons over traditional surgery. Traditional surgery, also referred to as open surgery, requires wide abdominal or thoracic incisions. Open surgery has a high morbidity rate, as patients can develop a wide range of post-operative complications (internal bleeding, infections, etc). People who suffer traditional, open hernia surgery recover slowly and need to remain in the hospital for a few weeks after the operation. Also, patients who suffer traditional surgery remain with large, prominent abdominal scars.
Laparoscopic surgery is much safer than the traditional approach, as the procedure can be performed a lot faster and requires smaller incisions. Laparoscopic surgery minimizes the risks of complications and hence, has a very low morbidity rate. Patients who suffer laparoscopic surgery recover a lot faster and they need a shorter period of hospitalization. Furthermore, thanks to the small incisions required in laparoscopic surgery, patients remain with minimal abdominal scars. Laparoscopic surgery is a reliable medical procedure in the treatment of Morgagni hernia. Due to its various advantages, this modern form of surgery is preferred both by surgeons and patients.