Diaphragmatic herniation of the large bowel.

We present 19 patients who were found to have colonic herniation into the chest via the oesophageal hiatus on barium enema. This was demonstrated by showing the position of the hernia and its intimate association with the oesophagus at barium swallow. In nearly all cases there was a co-existent partially volved hernia of the stomach. It is concluded that in adults, colonic herniation into the chest noted at routine barium enema can occur via the oesophageal hiatus and is invariably associated with herniation of the stomach which in many cases is partially volved. The patients are usually elderly and female and are unlikely to present subsequently as an emergency.