A hiatus hernia is a protrusion of the upper part of the stomach through an opening (a hiatus) in the diaphragm, at the junction between the oesophagus (gullet) and the stomach.
There are two major types of hiatus hernia; the most common (95% of all cases) being the sliding hiatus hernia, where the sphincter at the bottom of the oesophagus and the top of the stomach push through the hole in the diaphragm. The other form is known as a rolling hiatus hernia, where the stomach alone (without the oesophagus sphincter) pushes up through the hole in the diaphragm.
Although people of all ages can develop hiatus hernia, it becomes more common with age. Three times as many women (particularly those that have had children) as men suffer from the disease. Patients may experience heartburn and regurgitation, when stomach acid refluxes back into the oesophagus. However, over 80% of people with the condition do not experience any symptoms.
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