ABSTRACT
Eventration of the diaphragm is a rare congenital disorder with an incidence of less than 0.05% and constitutes a developmental defect in the muscular diaphragm, resulting in impaired caudal descent with respiration. A novel method for the plication of a diaphragmatic eventration using a robot-assisted thoracic approach, endostapling, and laparoscopic guidance, which capitalizes on the advantages of a minimally invasive operation while mitigating some operative risks and technical impediments. A minimally invasive technique offers the benefits of reduced postoperative pain and shorter length of stay relative to an open operation. Operative repair of diaphragmatic eventration is indicated for symptomatic cases. The surgical literature is limited by the relative rarity of this condition. A variety of techniques exist including both hand-sewn and stapled repairs performed via open, thoracoscopic, and laparoscopic approaches.
