By Abdellatif Sharaa

KUWAIT: General Surgery and Obesity Consultant at Sabah Hospital Dr Mohammad Al-Sulaimi said a operation on the diaphragm was conducted using advanced technology. He said the procedure was 100 percent successful, adding it was a rare case of Morgagni hernia, which is not widespread and affects only one percent of cases. He said the procedure involved a 52-year-old Kuwaiti who complained of weight loss, difficulty breathing and loss of appetite.

Dr Sulaimi said following an examination and CT scan, a hernia was detected in the diaphragm that required surgical intervention. He said the surgery took 90 minutes. The patient returned to hospital two weeks later and is in excellent condition. He said hernia in the diaphragm occurs when the upper part of the stomach opens through the large muscle that separates the abdomen from the diaphragm, which has a small opening from which the esophagus goes through before reaching the stomach. Dr Sulaimi warned that hernias can be life threatening if not treated and symptoms must not be ignored, adding they may cause other complications.