Kim Kardashian has been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia ahead of scheduled surgery for her esophagitis, adding another layer of worry to an already fraught health situation.
The SKIMS founder, 44, learned of the new condition during a doctor’s appointment featured in Thursday’s preview for next week’s episode of “The Kardashians.” The diagnosis carries painful echoes of her late father Robert Kardashian Sr., who died of esophageal cancer in 2003 at age 59. Upon hearing the news, Kim told her physician, “My dad had that.”
Earlier in Thursday’s episode, Kris Jenner, 71, accompanied her daughter to the appointment where doctors were evaluating whether Kim’s esophagitis had responded to medication. The examination also screened for a possible “pre-cancerous condition,” heightening the stakes of the visit. Kim explained during a confessional that she had been “feeling a little off lately” and that her throat had been “killing [her].” She admitted she hadn’t “[told] too many people about” her symptoms because of her father’s medical history.
“[The diagnosis is] something that really hits home for me. I just don’t really want to go there with my dad having passed away from [esophageal] cancer,” she said during the episode. “Hopefully, I can just take medication, and this will go away. But I just don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Kris opened up about how “stressful” the situation has been, particularly given the rapid progression of Robert Sr.’s illness. He died just eight weeks following his esophageal cancer diagnosis. “So of course I’m scared. I don’t want to tell her I’m scared, but it’s very worrisome. We just pray for the best,” she said.
Kim had already outlined the two possible outcomes before the appointment. “I’m hopeful. It is what it is. They’re either going to say, ‘Hey, the irregularities have not gone away [with] the medication, and you need to have a piece of your esophagus removed,’ or they’re going to say, ‘The medication worked, and you don’t need the procedure … just continue on this medication,'” she shared. “Obviously, I don’t want surgery, but I’ll do whatever’s necessary.”
By the end of the Oct. 29 episode, Kim revealed she had already undergone surgery to “cut out … irregularities” in her esophagus. The procedure came after she received her initial esophagitis diagnosis in the prior week’s installment. She first publicly disclosed the condition in September through the trailer for Season 8 of “The Kardashians,” telling someone off-screen, “I have something called esophagitis.” When the person responded, “Didn’t your father … isn’t that what he died of?” Kim confirmed, “Yeah.”
A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of the stomach pushes through the diaphragm, the muscle wall separating the abdomen from the chest, according to the Mayo Clinic. The condition can contribute to acid reflux and esophageal irritation, potentially complicating Kim’s existing esophagitis. The combination of diagnoses has created a medical situation that resonates deeply with the family’s history.
The Kardashian family’s experience with esophageal disease has clearly shaped how both Kim and Kris have processed these developments. Kim’s instinct to keep her symptoms private and Kris’s struggle to hide her fear from her daughter both reflect the lingering trauma of Robert Sr.’s rapid decline. The eight-week window between his diagnosis and death appears to haunt their reactions to each new piece of medical information.
Kim’s health revelations represent a notable shift in what she shares publicly, given her historical reluctance to discuss this particular vulnerability. The decision to document these appointments for “The Kardashians” suggests she has moved past her initial hesitation about bringing this family history into the open.
Season 8 of “The Kardashians” continues streaming on Hulu.
