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Hiatal Hernia Definition
Common names:
  • Hernia Hiatal
  • Hiatal Hernia
In a person with a hiatal hernia, part of the stomach slides through the opening in the diaphragm and enters the chest cavity. Images

Hiatal hernia may be caused by a birth defect in the diaphragm, or weakness of the muscles in the diaphragm that occurs with age. About 4 out of 10 Americans over the age of 50 have a hiatal hernia.

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Last Updated: Oct 10, 2008  References
Authors: Stephen J. Schueler, MD; John H. Beckett, MD; D. Scott Gettings, MD
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