Congenital hiatus hernia associated with reflux esophageal stenosis

A small group of three patients presented in our study represents extraordinary and very complicated problem of congenital hiatus hernia in infant period from 6th to 9th month of life, associated with gastroesophageal reflux and consecutive esophageal stenosis. There are two very rare and delicate entities within differential diagnosis, in the domain of the same pathology: congenitally short esophagus and congenital esophageal stenosis; with completely different surgical options for their treatment. That is why an optimal diagnostics and an adequate operative technique are extremely important for the treatment of hiatus hernia. The upper gastrointestinal barium radiography is definitely the method of diagnosing hiatus hernia, which provides typical, almost pathognomonic image of hiatus hernia accompanied by the esophageal stenosis. Nissen fundoplication is the technique of choice for its surgical treatment, with gastrostomy for probable postoperative esophageal dilatation. The results are more than satisfying: early peroral feeding, with spontaneous resolving of esophageal stenosis, which significantly diminishes the need for esophageal bougienage.