Diaphragm Disease & Eventration (Repair & Plication)
A ruptured diaphragm after an injury, or a paralysed, too-high diaphragm (eventration), steals breathing space. Fixing it - by keyhole or open surgery - gives the lung back its room.
When the diaphragm lets the chest down
The diaphragm is the main breathing muscle and the floor of the chest. If it tears (rupture/hernia) the abdominal organs slide in; if it is paralysed it arches high and squeezes the lung (eventration).
A ruptured diaphragm after a road accident can hide abdominal organs in the chest for years, appearing only when breathing worsens. Eventration is usually noticed as breathlessness with a chest X-ray showing one high diaphragm.
Both problems are correctable. Tears are stitched shut (and reinforced if needed). A paralysed, bulging diaphragm is flattened by plication - which restores lung space and breathing effort.
The different forms
Traumatic rupture
A tear from blunt injury - abdominal organs rise into the chest and must be reduced.
Congenital hernia
A birth defect (Bochdalek/Morgagni) leaving a gap that organs fill.
Eventration
Paralysed diaphragm bulging upward - flattened by plication.
Tumour of the diaphragm
Rare, but treated by removal with repair of the remaining muscle.
Watch real cases from our operating theatre
Dr Ahmad Ali explains the condition and surgery in simple words.
How you know you have it
Typical symptoms
- Breathlessness, especially lying flat
- A high diaphragm that keeps the lung small
- Chronic cough or no appetite with intestinal complaints
- Pain or pressure below the ribs
When to seek help urgently
- Sudden severe breathlessness after an injury or fall
- Severe chest pain with vomit if a hernia is trapped
How it is confirmed
Chest X-Ray
Shows a high or irregular diaphragm line.
CT Scan
Confirms the presence of bowel or organs in the chest, or the degree of bulging.
Ultrasound
Assesses whether the muscle still moves with breathing.
Lung Function Test
Measures how much the elevated diaphragm limits breathing.
The procedures Dr Ahmad Ali performs
A repaired or flattened diaphragm immediately improves the breathing mechanics of your chest.
VATS Diaphragm Repair / Plication
- What it is — Through small cuts the organs are returned, the tear stitched and reinforced, or the redundant dome is flattened with sutures.
- Eligibility — Most ruptures and eventrations - the preferred first approach.
- Stay — 2-4 days.
- Recovery — Breathing improves within days; full effect over weeks.
Open Diaphragm Repair
- What it is — A controlled open approach for large or chronic hernias with dense scarring.
- Eligibility — Chronic, large, or previously operated hernias.
- Stay — 4-6 days.
- Recovery — Gradual return to full activity over 6 weeks.
Benefits of treatment at ChestExperts
Lung space restored
Fixing the diaphragm gives the lung back its full room to expand.
Breathlessness eases
Many patients notice freer, easier breathing within weeks.
Keyhole first
VATS keeps incisions small and recovery gentle.
Organs back home
Bowel and others are safely returned from the chest where they belong in the tummy.
Strong reinforcement
Mesh and careful suturing make repair durable.
Injury handled fully
Accident victims with other injuries are cared for jointly with trauma teams.
Thoracic & Chest Surgeon
Meet Dr Ahmad Ali
Specialist thoracic and chest surgeon at Hameed Latif Hospital, Lahore - focused on minimal-pain, minimal-stay surgery, including for Diaphragm Disease & Eventration (Repair & Plication).
Dr Ahmad Ali treats every patient as his own. He first understands the problem completely - your symptoms, your scan and your daily life - before recommending anything. He explains each step simply, in Urdu or English, and never pushes a procedure that is not truly needed.
How he can help with Diaphragm Disease & Eventration (Repair & Plication): He confirms the exact diagnosis, then chooses the least invasive option that is genuinely safe for your stage and performs it with precision, so your recovery is smooth. For most cases, the procedure Dr Ahmad Ali performs here is VATS Diaphragm Repair / Plication while more advanced disease is handled with Open Diaphragm Repair.
Bring your reports - he tells you what they really mean, in simple words.
Only the tests that are genuinely needed are ordered - no extra burden.
The safest option for your exact stage, with clear and transparent cost.
The procedure, then careful follow-up until you are fully recovered.
Unexplained shortness of breath?
If your scan shows a high diaphragm, rest may not fix it - surgery can. Come and talk.