Q79: Congenital malformations of the musculoskeletal system, not elsewhere classified
Q79.1: Other congenital malformations of diaphragm
The diaphragm separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. Above the diaphragm are the lungs and the heart. Beneath the diaphragm are the stomach, liver and spleen. In the diaphragm there are some openings which the large blood vessels and the esophagus run through. The diaphragm is a large breathing muscle. The diaphragm tenses when we breathe in. This lowers the diaphragm. This allows the lungs to expand and take in more air. When we breathe out, the diaphragm relaxes, rising up as it does so.
No one knows the exact reason why the diaphragm does not always develop properly before birth.
Your diaphragm may have stretched a great deal. As a result, your abdominal cavity has become enlarged towards the top, causing the organs in the chest cavity – such as the lungs to – have less space than normal. However, it is also possible that you have no diaphragm. The symptoms depend on how exactly the diaphragm has changed. It may be that you are unable to breathe properly, for example. This defect of the diaphragm sometimes causes serious illness.
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