Bochdalek hernia

Bochdalek hernia is one of two forms of a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, the other form being Morgagni hernia. A Bochdalek hernia is a congenital abnormality in which an opening exists in the infant's diaphragm, allowing normally intra-abdominal organs (particularly the stomach and intestines) to enter into the thoracic cavity. In the majority of people, the affected lung will be deformed, and the resulting lung compression can be life-threatening. Bochdalek hernias occur more commonly on the posterior left side (85%, versus right side 15%).

Bochdalek hernias are rare. This type of hernia was first described in 1754 by McCauley and subsequently studied and named after the Czech pathologist Vincenz Alexander Bochdalek (1801–1883).