Abstract
A 67-year-old man who was treated for alcoholic chronic pancreatitis on an ambulatory basis developed left pancreatic pleural effusion and underwent thoracic drainage. Thirteen months later he presented with vomiting and appetite loss. When he was seen at our hospital, an abdominal CT scan showed prolapse of the stomach into the left thoracic cavity. Left diaphragmatic hernia was diagnosed and laparoscopic surgery was performed. The hernia orifice was present on the left side of the esophageal hiatus. After the hernia orifice was closed by sutures, it was reinforced by mesh and was repaired.
Pancreatic pleural effusion associated with chronic pancreatitis is a rare complication, and so far such complication with successive development of diaphragmatic hernia as our case has not been reported. We present our case of left diaphragmatic hernia probably caused by pancreatic pleural effusion which was treated by laparoscopic surgery, together with a review of the literature.
