Hiatus hernia

A hiatus hernia or hiatal hernia is the protrusion (or herniation) of the upper part of the stomach into the thorax through the esophageal hiatus because of a tear or weakness in the diaphragm. Hiatus hernias often result in heartburn but may also cause chest pain or pain with eating.

The most common cause is obesity. The diagnosis is often by endoscopy or medical imaging.

A hiatus hernia may be treated with lifestyle changes such as raising the head of the bed, weight loss, and adjusting eating habits. Medications such as H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors may help. If the symptoms do not improve with medications the surgery known as laparoscopic fundoplication may be an option. It is not known how commonly hiatus hernias occur with estimates in North America varying from 10 to 80%.

Signs and symptoms

Hiatal hernia has often been called the "great mimic" because its symptoms can resemble many disorders. For example, a person with this problem can experience dull pains in the chest, shortness of breath (caused by the hernia's effect on the diaphragm), heart palpitations (due to irritation of the vagus nerve), and swallowed food "balling up" and causing discomfort in lower esophagus until it passes on to stomach.