The full significance of the role of esophageal hernia as a common cause of upper abdominal gastrointestinal symptoms has been realized only within the past few years. Moore and Kirklin,1 in 1930, reported that until 1924 only 20 cases of esophageal hiatus hernia had been listed at the Mayo Clinic. Brick2 found esophageal hiatus hernia to be the second most common abnormality reported in upper gastrointestinal x-ray series in 3,449 patients examined, following closely behind peptic ulcer. The diagnosis of an esophageal hiatus hernia is not in itself indication for surgical repair. However, patients with persistent symptoms are advised to have repair before developing such complications as ulceration, hemorrhage, stenosing esophagitis, or stricture.
Symptoms
The symptoms of hiatus hernia are varied and common to many upper gastrointestinal disorders, as well as to cardiac and respiratory disturbances. Pain is the most common of all symptoms and is frequently described