Rare late-presentation congenital diaphragmatic hernia mimicking a tension pneumothorax

• Main Authors: Muhammad Zahid Abdul Muien, Kohila Jeyaprahasam, Thiagu Krisnan, Ng, Chiak Yot, Teh, Yong Guang
• Format: Article
• Language: English; Malay
• Published: Elsevier Inc. 2021
• Subjects: RC705-779 Diseases of the respiratory system
• Online Access: https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/30326/1/Rare%20late-presentation%20congenital%20diaphragmatic%20hernia%20mimicking%20a%20tension%20pneumothorax%20FULL%20TEXT.pdf; https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/30326/3/Rare%20late-presentation%20congenital%20diaphragmatic%20hernia%20mimicking%20a%20tension%20pneumothorax%20ABSTRACT.pdf; https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/30326/; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1930043321004015#!; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radcr.2021.06.024

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) is due to a defect in the diaphragm and is usually detected soon after birth. However, in rare cases, asymptomatic CDHs can be missed and present later in life. Late-presentation CDH can be misdiagnosed as tension pneumothorax leading to iatrogenic complications. We report a case of a 10-year-old boy who presented with non-specific symptoms of vomiting and occasional breathlessness, but was subsequently diagnosed as late-presentation CDH. This case highlights the role of imaging in the diagnosis and management of late-presenting CDH. The role of CT imaging as an invaluable tool to further evaluate equivocal radiographic findings in CDH is discussed.