Robotic-assisted repair of an anterior diaphragmatic hernia secondary to Xiphoidectomy

Anterior diaphragmatic hernias manifest when a diaphragmatic defect permits abdominal contents to enter the thoracic cavity. They may be congenital or acquired; when acquired, the typical etiology is traumatic injury. Without treatment, they risk incarceration or strangulation. A 55-year-old male with a history of xiphoidectomy during sternotomy for cardiac disease was incidentally found to have an anterior diaphragmatic hernia on a screening chest CT (computed tomography) scan. He developed gastric obstruction shortly after an outpatient surgical consultation. He was admitted to the hospital, and further workup revealed a right-sided type-4 diaphragmatic hernia with an incarcerated colon, antrum, and pylorus. Nasogastric decompression was performed, followed by robotic-assisted transabdominal preperitoneal (r-TAPP) repair with mesh. He recovered without complications. There are currently no reports in the literature of an anterior diaphragmatic hernia secondary to a xiphoidectomy. This case demonstrates the successful use of r-TAPP for this rare presentation of an anterior diaphragmatic hernia.