Hiatus hernia

What it means

The presence of a hernia in which the upper part of the stomach, i.e., mainly the gastric cardia protrudes through the diaphragmatic esophageal hiatus.

A tendency for the upper part of the stomach to herniate into the thorax because of a weakness of the esophageal hiatus, which is the hole in the diaphragm through which the esophagus passes. Hiatus hernia can be asymptomatic or can lead to acid reflux symptoms (heartburn).

In everyday care

Most people with this sign do not have a rare disease — it appears in common conditions far more often. These general reference pages cover the same topic:

Rare diseases that can present with this12

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Hiatal hernia