Hiatal Hernia and Short Oesophagus in Children

Abstract

Diseases and malformations of the oesophagus have hitherto been a neglected field in paediatrics. During recent years this attitude has been altered, because the progress of thoracic surgery has made operations on the oesophagus a much safer procedure and has thus increased the possibility of treating surgically oeso- phageal lesions in children. Among the diseases and malformations which have become the object of renewed interest is congenital hiatal hernia coexisting with a shortening of the oesophagus, which Scandinavian and French workers are accustomed to call " brachyoesophagus."