Robotic Approach to the Diaphragm for Right-Sided Bochdalek Hernias

James Speicher, MD; Anthony B. Mozer, MD, MBA; Carlos J. Anciano, MD; Mark D. Iannettoni, MD, FACS

Product Details
Product ID: ACS-5502
Year Produced: 2018
Length: 9 min.


This is a video presentation of two separate cases of robotic assisted transthoracic repair of a right-sided Bochdalek hernia in an adult. Each case presents a description of the patient presentation, review of relevant CT scans, and then a video of the robotic hernia dissection and repair. The first patient had a moderate amount of retroperitoneal fat herniating through the defect, which was detached along with the hernia sac, and a primary two layer suture repair was performed. The second patient had a nodular portion of the liver herniating through the defect and no hernia sac. Adhesions from the diaphragm to the herniated liver were taken down and the defect was repaired primarily with a two layer sutured repair. Bochdalek hernias are congenital diaphragmatic hernias. Most cases are discovered in infancy and adult cases are rare. Even rarer are cases of right-sided adult Bochdalek hernias, as 85% of these hernias occur on the left side due to timing of closure of the pleuroperitoneal canal. There are few reports in the literature of minimally invasive transthoracic approach to this pathology.