Elevated right hemidiaphragm in a one year old

[vcspiglet21]

My son was diagnosed with a right hemidiaphragm eventration. (he is a one)  The CT scan and Floroscopy show that there is function of the diaphragm it just pushes into the right lung.  He has been hospitalized twice for pnemonia (pneumonia) and on a recent bronscoposy it showed his left lungs have abnormally shaped and narrow bronchiols, therefore he is considered having a reactive airway.  Doctors were quick to state he needed surgery to repair his heimdiaphragm.  What would be the benifits or sx and of course what are the downfalls.  I have heard both positive and negative outcomes.  What would happen with out surgery?

[National Jewish]

Surgery to repair the eventration of the diaphragm is done to restore normal lung expansion and contraction during ventilation.  Without repair, the lung is more susceptible to infection, such as pneumonia.  Pneumonia itself may make it more likely for your son to develop recurrent pneumonia.  Since the airways in the left lung are abnormally shaped, it is most important that steps be taken so that the right lung functions normally.  That may be why his doctors expressed a sense of urgency about the surgery.

However this is major surgery.  Historically it has required a full thoracotomy.  There are reports of this surgery being done by thoracoscopy with less risk.  You should ask your son's doctors about this and if this approach might be appropriate for him.
The narrow, abnormally shaped airways are another matter.  Simple hyperreactive airways are usually normal in shape.  You should ask the doctor who did the bronchoscopy to give you more information about what these findings might indicate.  In any event the reactive airways are treatable.

[beccaboo]

My 13 month old just had surgery (plication of the diaphragm) to repair a paralyzed diaphragm. Her right diaphragm was discovered to be elevated when she had an chest xray upon being hospitalized for phnemonia.  the diaphram was so elevated that her lung had partially collapsed.  after having thoroscopic surgery to repair the diaphragm a new xray showed the lung was back to normal. At first the doctors could not tell whether her lung was never fully developed, or she had a herniated diaphragm or eventration. She had flouroscopy, mri and cat scan and none were definative, hence the thoroscopic surgery.

[vcspiglet21]

Thank you for commenting.  How did the surgery go?  Did it seem to resolve some of her respiratory problems.  How did you know that the surgeons were qualified (probably just had faith right).  May I ask what hospital you went to?