Acute respiratory failure caused by an incarcerated right-sided adult bochdalek hernia: report of a case

We herein report the case of a 63-year-old woman with a right-sided Bochdalek hernia. She was admitted to our hospital as an emergency patient with dyspnea and abdominal pain. A blood gas analysis showed hypoxia. A chest X-ray and computed tomography revealed a remarkable right diaphragm elevation caused by a herniation of the colon and right kidney. Under a thoracolaparotomy, a herniation of the strangulated colon and right kidney was recognized in the site of the foramen of Bochdalek, and a direct closure of the hernia opening was thus performed after repairing the location of the colon and right kidney. A right-sided Bochdalek hernia in adults is a rare clinical entity and there have been fewer than ten such cases so far reported in the world literature. This case highlights the need for a prompt diagnosis and appropriate surgical intervention.