EVENTRATION OF THE DIAPHRAGM

Abstract

Eventration of the diaphragm is rare, and because of this fact we feel that every case is worthy of detailed study. It also seems desirable to review the literature. The purpose of this paper is (1) to summarize the available knowledge of the disease with a discussion of the literature and (2) to present reports of 2 cases. <h3>REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE</h3><h3>THE NAME</h3> Eventration of the diaphragm clinically has come to mean a congenital or, occasionally, an acquired high or elevated position of one leaf of the diaphragm muscle, characterized pathologically by aplasia or atrophy of the muscle fibers of the affected side but with no break in the continuity of the muscle, which in the vast majority of cases produces symptoms suggesting a gastric, cardiac, pulmonary or pleuropulmonary origin. The term eventration has been objected to by many on the grounds that the derivation of the word, namely,