How to treat hepatic pulmonary fusion: case report with review of literature.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Hepatic pulmonary fusion (HPF) occurring with right diaphragmatic hernia is rare. Some sporadic reports exist in the literature. It may range from just fibrovascular communication to complete parenchymal fusion which may be complex to divide.Patients and methods: We report a case of a 1-day old newborn male presented with respiratory distress relevant to a right diaphragmatic hernia.Results: The patient was operated after initial stabilization. During surgery, a 10-cm wide posterolateral defect was found. The herniated liver was only partially reducible because of HPF. This rare condition was treated by the division of the fusion and diaphragm repair using a vicryl patch.Conclusion: Through our case and a review of the literature, we will discuss the different alternatives in the treatment of HPF.