Kidney in the Chest: Rare case of Diaphragmatic Hernia, treated at Fortis

Bengaluru: In a rare reported occurrence, Fortis Hospital Cunningham Road successfully treated a 35-year-old male with his kidney in the chest cavity.

The patient had previously undergone surgery for a liver injury following which he subsequently developed Diaphragmatic Hernia, a condition in which there is a hole or tear in the diaphragm (the muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity).

This condition caused the displacement of his left kidney into the chest cavity, accounting for only 0.5% of all reported cases. The intricate surgical procedure performed by Dr. Ganesh Shenoy, Additional Director of Minimal Access, GI, and Bariatric Surgery and his skilled team underscores the significant advancements in hernia care at Fortis Hospital Cunningham Road.

Additionally, an unusual presence of the renal artery (blood vessel that supplies blood to the kidney) in the left chest cavity was observed. To address these complex issues, the team of doctors performed a Laparoscopic reduction of the left kidney and treated the diaphragmatic hernia with mesh.

Elaborating on the procedure, Dr. Ganesh Shenoy, Additional Director of Minimal Access, GI, and Bariatric Surgery at Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road, said, “This case presented significant challenges due to the displacement of the patient's kidney.

The kidney had to be brought back down to the abdominal cavity without causing any damage to the critical structures like the ureters (tubes connecting the kidneys to the bladder) and the nearby blood vessels. So, we performed a laparoscopic reduction of the left kidney wherein the left kidney was safely repositioned from the chest cavity to its normal place in the abdomen via minimally invasive surgery.

Additionally, we closed the Diaphragmatic Hernia or the hole in the diaphragm and reinforced it with a mesh, ensuring the patient's well-being throughout the procedure. Remarkably, the patient experienced a swift recovery, with discharge on the second day, resuming a normal diet and significantly improving his quality of life.”

Mr. Akshay Oleti, Business Head of Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore, shared his perspective, stating, “This accomplishment underscores the clinical expertise of our doctors. At Fortis Cunningham, our commitment to patient care and ongoing medical research has earned us recognition as a Centre of Excellence in Hernia Surgery by the Hernia Society of India.”