Elderly Woman's Constant Vomiting in Miaoli Caused by Rare Spontaneous Diaphragmatic Hernia
An 85-year-old woman in Miaoli recently suffered from loss of appetite and would vomit after almost every meal. She was diagnosed with an extremely rare spontaneous diaphragmatic hernia, which caused a section of her large intestine to dislocate into her chest cavity, compressing her lungs and stomach. Fortunately, she is recovering well after surgical treatment.
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- 📰 Published: May 19, 2026 at 21:12
- 🔍 Collected: May 19, 2026 at 21:32 (19 min after Published)
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(CNA reporter Ku Jui-ping, Miaoli County, 19th) An 85-year-old woman in Miaoli who recently suffered from a loss of appetite and even reached a point where she would "vomit after every meal" sought medical attention and was diagnosed with an extremely rare spontaneous diaphragmatic hernia. This condition caused a section of her large intestine to dislocate into her chest cavity, compressing her lung and stomach. Fortunately, she has recovered well after surgery.
Dr. Feng Chi-yen, Director of the Department of Surgery at Miaoli's Daqian General Hospital, stated today that most diaphragmatic hernias occur on the left side (as the right side is blocked by the liver) and are overwhelmingly caused by strong external pressure from trauma or car accidents. The case of this elderly woman, who had no history of trauma and suffered a "spontaneous diaphragmatic hernia," is clinically very rare.
Dr. Feng pointed out that due to her poor appetite and the severe condition of "vomiting after every meal," the 85-year-old woman experienced a sharp drop in weight and became lethargic. Her family rushed her to the hospital. A CT scan revealed that a large section of her transverse colon had dislocated into her left chest cavity. This not only severely compressed her lung, affecting her breathing, but also directly pressed on the outlet of her stomach. The long-term obstruction caused her stomach to expand and swell, which was the main reason for her vomiting after eating and subsequent malnutrition.
Considering the patient's advanced age, traditional open-chest or open-abdominal surgery would involve large wounds, slow recovery, and a high risk of pneumonia, posing a significant challenge to her physical stamina. After discussions between the doctor and her family, they opted for a laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery to pull the trapped transverse colon from the chest cavity back into the abdomen and repair the hole in the diaphragm.
Dr. Feng added that during the operation, they discovered the woman also had chronic inflammation from gallstones. Therefore, a laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed concurrently, resolving two major health concerns at once. The woman experienced minimal postoperative pain, recovered well, and was able to resume eating soon after.
The doctor advises that if elderly family members show sudden signs of a significant decrease in appetite, unexplained weight loss, or frequent vomiting, they should seek medical examination as soon as possible. Elderly individuals have weaker tolerance, and prolonged malnutrition or vomiting can easily lead to electrolyte imbalances and even pose a serious risk of severe arrhythmia, so extra attention is crucial.
Dr. Feng Chi-yen, Director of the Department of Surgery at Miaoli's Daqian General Hospital, stated today that most diaphragmatic hernias occur on the left side (as the right side is blocked by the liver) and are overwhelmingly caused by strong external pressure from trauma or car accidents. The case of this elderly woman, who had no history of trauma and suffered a "spontaneous diaphragmatic hernia," is clinically very rare.
Dr. Feng pointed out that due to her poor appetite and the severe condition of "vomiting after every meal," the 85-year-old woman experienced a sharp drop in weight and became lethargic. Her family rushed her to the hospital. A CT scan revealed that a large section of her transverse colon had dislocated into her left chest cavity. This not only severely compressed her lung, affecting her breathing, but also directly pressed on the outlet of her stomach. The long-term obstruction caused her stomach to expand and swell, which was the main reason for her vomiting after eating and subsequent malnutrition.
Considering the patient's advanced age, traditional open-chest or open-abdominal surgery would involve large wounds, slow recovery, and a high risk of pneumonia, posing a significant challenge to her physical stamina. After discussions between the doctor and her family, they opted for a laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery to pull the trapped transverse colon from the chest cavity back into the abdomen and repair the hole in the diaphragm.
Dr. Feng added that during the operation, they discovered the woman also had chronic inflammation from gallstones. Therefore, a laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed concurrently, resolving two major health concerns at once. The woman experienced minimal postoperative pain, recovered well, and was able to resume eating soon after.
The doctor advises that if elderly family members show sudden signs of a significant decrease in appetite, unexplained weight loss, or frequent vomiting, they should seek medical examination as soon as possible. Elderly individuals have weaker tolerance, and prolonged malnutrition or vomiting can easily lead to electrolyte imbalances and even pose a serious risk of severe arrhythmia, so extra attention is crucial.