Hiatus hernia epidemiology and demographics

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Vamsikrishna Gunnam M.B.B.S [2]

Hiatus hernias affect around 1 to 20% of the population. Out of this 9 % are symptomatic, depending on the ability of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Approximately 95% of these categorize under “sliding” hiatus hernias, in which the lower esophageal sphincter protrudes above the diaphragm along with the stomach, and only 5% is the “rolling” type (paraesophageal), in which the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) remains stationary but the stomach protrudes above the diaphragm. A hiatus hernia is more common in older people.

• It is estimated that greater than 95 percent of hiatus hernias are type I (sliding) hiatus hernia.
• Approximately 5 percent of the hiatus hernias are with type II, III, and IV (paraesophageal) hernias.

• The mortality rate of elective paraesophageal hernia repair is approximately 1.4 percent.^[1]

• Hiatus hernias commonly affects individuals older than 50 years of age.

• There is no racial predilection to hiatus hernia.

• Women are more commonly affected by Hiatus hernias than men.