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A woman in her 40s self-presented to an emergency department in a major trauma centre with severe right-sided abdominal pain, a tender right upper quadrant mass and chest pain. Diagnostic imaging showed a previously undiagnosed diaphragmatic hernia containing strangulated right colon. The patient had been the victim of a high-energy road traffic accident 18 months earlier, but at that time had not presented to hospital or undergone any outpatient investigation. This emergency presentation necessitated an emergency laparotomy, right colectomy, suture repair of diaphragmatic hernia and formation of ileo-colostomy. While a small number of similar cases have been documented, right-sided traumatic diaphragmatic herniae (TDH), where abdominal viscera bypass the liver and subsequently strangulate, are exceedingly rare. The evidence on delayed diagnosis of TDH is discussed and a system of follow-up for patients who suffer blunt abdominal trauma which is managed non-operatively is suggested., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

Background: The incidence of diaphragmatic rupture is low; however, it may be life threatening. Normally caused by blunt trauma, some cases are reported after pulmonary infections with extensive coughing. Covid 19 causes pulmonary infections and pneumonia and has been associated with weakening of the diaphragm after prolonged ventilation. We present a patient who suffered from diaphragmatic rupture 2 months after recovering from a severe Covid 19 pneumonia., Case: A 71 years old male patient presented with massive thoraco-abdominal pain and severe dyspnea. At the time of admission, the patient was diagnosed with rupture of the diaphragm and developed cardiogenic shock. Intraoperatively there was a 4 cm diameter large rupture of the diaphragm with enterothorax (transverse colon, stomach, spleen, parts of the jejunum). Avulsion of the mesenteric arteries made a segmental resection of the jejunum together with the spleen necessary. A jejuno-jejunostomy was performed and organs were replaced into the abdomen. The rupture of the diaphragm underwent primary closure with non-resorbable suture material. The patient has shown an uneventful post-operative course, fully recovered and was discharged on day 11 after surgery., Conclusion: Covid 19 is a disease that is known to have various effects on different organs. The diaphragm is only paid heed in case of dysfunction. Also in the setting of Covid 19 it is not known as prominent effector organ. Nevertheless its affection by coughing caused by Covid 19 can lead to life threatening complications., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: This report reviews our clinical experience with 55 cases of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia at a Brazilian university hospital. Traumatic diaphragmatic hernia is an uncommon injury and presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Occasionally, it is missed in trauma patients and is usually associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This analysis aimed to improve the diagnostic outcomes of trauma patient care., Methods: Retrospective design analysis of database records of trauma patients at HC-Unicamp were performed to investigate incidence, trauma mechanism, diagnosis, herniated organs, associated injuries, trauma score, morbidity and mortality., Results: Fifty-five patients were analysed. Blunt trauma was two-fold more frequent than penetrating trauma and was associated with high-grade injury; motor vehicle collision was the most common mechanism. Left-sided hernia was four-fold more frequent than that on the right side, although critical injuries were more frequently associated with the right side. The stomach was the most herniated organ in both trauma mechanisms. Preoperative diagnosis was mostly performed using chest radiography (55%). Postoperative diagnosis was mostly performed via laparotomy rather than laparoscopy. Associated injuries were observed in 43 patients (78%) and the mortality rate was 20% for both the sides., Conclusion: Isolated injuries are rare, and the presence of associated injuries increases morbidity and mortality. Chest radiography in the trauma bay is useful as an initial examination, although it is not suitable for use as a definitive method. Despite the use of laparoscopy in a few cases, laparotomy is the most common approach., (Copyright© Authors.)

Traumatic diaphragmatic hernia is very rare in children, and the diagnosis is often missed or delayed. Herein, we reported a 2-year-old boy who had suffered with traumatic diaphragmatic hernia due to a car crash. The child was manifested as tachypnoea without any other severe symptoms. The computed tomography scanning showed his right diaphragm was rupture. Soon, this patient was received a thoracoscopic repair surgery, and he was discharged 2 weeks later without any complication., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.)

A 70-year-old asthmatic man presented with a history of chronic intermittent left-sided chest pains and a bulge-like deformity of his chest which became more prominent with expiration. He sustained a traumatic fall 2 years prior whereby he fractured his right humerus at the surgical neck, requiring total arthroplasty. Examination and CT imaging of the thorax revealed a left costal arch fracture with hemidiaphragm rupture and associated transperitoneal fat herniation. He underwent left thoracolaparotomy with costal arch and diaphragmatic hernia repair. He was discharged 48 hours postoperatively and is satisfied with good outcomes under initial follow-up. This case report highlights the surgical management of a condition that usually presents late after significant trauma and may progress to visceral strangulation if untreated., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

A 37-year-old woman presented to her local district general hospital with a cough, pleuritic chest pain and intermittent cyanosis. Eight months prior, she underwent a successful pericardial window for recurrent, symptomatic pericardial effusions. On presentation she was hypoxic but haemodynamically stable. Her chest radiograph raised the suspicion of a diaphragmatic hernia, confirmed by CT imaging. This identified herniation through the diaphragm of the transverse colon and left lobe of the liver resulting in cardiac compression and right ventricular dysfunction. She continued to deteriorate and required emergency intubation to allow safe transfer to a tertiary upper gastrointestinal unit. She underwent a laparotomy and repair of the diaphragmatic hernia with an uneventful inpatient recovery. In the literature, diaphragmatic liver herniation is a recognised complication secondary to trauma or congenital defects, however, to our knowledge, there are currently no cases described following pericardial windowing., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture (TDR) is a rare yet life-threatening occurrence that remains a diagnostic challenge for clinicians. Delayed presentation with associated strangulation of the contents, although uncommon, requires emergent management. A 42-year-old woman presented with constant, severe left-sided shoulder and chest pain, as well as associated upper abdominal pain following a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) dive. A chest radiograph (CXR) and CT showed a left-sided diaphragmatic hernia containing stomach. She subsequently underwent a laparoscopic repair of the diaphragmatic defect and recovered well postoperatively., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

A 26-year-old man presented to emergency department with respiratory distress. The initial diagnosis after chest X-ray was massive haemothorax, after insertion of a chest drain and further investigations, it turned up to be a rare case of a delay presentation of traumatic diaphragmatic rupture (DR) (after 1 year of the initial trauma). After excessive resuscitation of the patient in the emergency department, the patient underwent an emergency laparotomy which revealed ischaemic transverse colon herniated into the chest through a 7 cm diaphragmatic defect. Resection of the ischaemic bowel had been done, and the patient admitted to Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) postoperatively. The patient had an uneventful recovery and discharged home on postoperative day 9. As DR after thoracoabdominal trauma is a rare condition that can be missed at initial presentation, we would like to highlight the main challenges in diagnosing and managing similar cases after reviewing related cases in the literature., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Introduction: Complications following Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are rare and usually follows a vigorous CPR or in special cases like pregnancy are due to lack of knowledge and clinical practice of how to preform CPR in pregnancy. One of this complication is diaphragmatic rupture with herniation of abdominal organs. Surgical intervention needs to be planned carefully in multidisciplinary team approach and requires fine surgical techniques for better outcome. There are few reported cases of diaphragmatic rupture after Cardiopulmonary resuscitation but none in pregnant woman., Case Presentation: We report a rare case of diaphragmatic rupture in a 29-year-old pregnant patient who experienced a full-blown diaphragmatic defect and herniation of the abdominal organs into the thoracic cavity, as a complication of CPR. Following careful assessment and diagnosis, the patient underwent urgent laparotomy with reduction of the contents and primary closure of the defect. One year follow up was satisfactory. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of diaphragmatic rupture with herniation of the abdominal organs following CPR in a pregnant woman in the literature., Conclusion: The application of external cardiac massage through CPR is a life-saving procedure for the management of cardiac arrest. Common complications related to CPR include rib fractures, sternal fractures and haemothorax. Diaphragmatic rupture with herniation of the abdominal organs is a rare complication, having been reported only once in the literature (Sabzi F, Faraji R, Tanaffos 16:170-172, 2017); however, it represents a serious and life-threating event. Thus, careful evaluation of the patient by a multidisciplinary team and prompt intervention is recommended in order to improve outcomes.

Thoracoabdominal hernia following blunt trauma is extremely rare. Abdominal viscera are more likely to herniate into the thorax if there is traumatic diaphragmatic rupture. We report the case of a patient presenting with a traumatic thoracoabdominal hernia containing part of the right lobe of the liver and the hepatic flexure of the colon. The hernia migrated cranially, to protrude through a seventh intercostal defect despite the diaphragm remaining fully intact. The need for early multispecialty (thoracic and hepatobiliary) surgical repair is highlighted, with improvements in surgical outcome for a complex trauma case by using a novel chest-wall reconstruction technique.

Controversy persists regarding many aspects of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia (TDH). We aimed to understand why some traumatic diaphragmatic injuries present with chronic hernia and to evaluate diagnosis and treatment options. Fifty acute and 19 chronic TDH patients were diagnosed and treated at our institution over a 10-year period. Clinical data from these two groups were analyzed statistically and compared. Chronic TDH patients had a significantly lower Injury Severity Score than acute TDH patients (10.26 ± 2.68 vs. 26.92 ± 4.79, P < 0.001). The most common surgical approach for acute and chronic TDH was thoracotomy and laparotomy, respectively. The length of the diaphragmatic rupture was significantly shorter in chronic TDH patients than acute TDH patients (6.00 ± 1.94 cm vs. 10.71 ± 3.30 cm, P < 0.001). The mean length of hospital stay was significantly longer for acute TDH patients than chronic TDH patients (41.18 ± 31.02 days vs. 16.65 ± 9.61 days, P = 0.002). In conclusion, milder trauma and a smaller diaphragmatic rupture were associated with delayed diagnosis. A thoraco-abdominal computed tomography scan is needed for patients with periphrenic injuries to avoid delayed diagnosis of TDH. Improved awareness and understanding of diaphragmatic injuries will increase the rate of early diagnosis and improve prognosis., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

A rare case series of traumatic right diaphragmatic rupture with hepatothorax in Ghana is reported. The first case involved a middle-aged man who sustained a penetrating chest injury following an unprovoked attack by a wild bull. The second case was a young woman who sustained a blunt chest injury after being knocked down by a moving vehicle whiles crossing the road. Both presented with ruptured right diaphgramatic rupture and had to undergo repair through thoracotomy after stabilization and the two had been well one year after surgery without any complications or sequelae., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© Isaac Okyere et al.)

Trauma and sneeze-induced or cough-induced intercostal and diaphragm hernias are both rare phenomena, especially in combination. Management of these hernias is not well described, and there is no good evidence to guide operative management. Here we describe a rare presentation of coexisting intercostal and diaphragm hernias and surgical management with primary repair via a thoracotomy., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

We present an unusual case of a 72-year-old patient with a concurrent aortic arch pseudoaneurysm and right diaphragmatic hernia, who was successfully treated using an aortic endovascular stent and diaphragmatic repair via uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Diaphragmatic injuries are produced by blunt or penetrating thoracoabdominal trauma. They are potentially life-threatening due to the herniation of abdominal organs into the pleural cavities and severe associated lesions. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse the clinical presentation and management of patients admitted with diaphragmatic rupture in our institution. Material and Method: We performed a 5-year retrospective study of patients admitted with acute blunt or penetrating diaphragmatic rupture in the Department of General Surgery of "Bagdasar- Arseni" Emergency Hospital. We have studied sex, age, mechanism of trauma, side-location, timeto-diagnosis, concomitant injuries, surgical treatment and outcome. Results: Fifteen patients (8 males, 7 females, mean age: 42 years) with diaphragmatic rupture (left-side: 13, right-side: 2) following blunt (8 patients) or penetrating (7) trauma were included. Patients with blunt diaphragmatic injury had larger tears and abdominal viscera herniation was observed in 6of these cases. A direct suture was performed for all 15 patients. Laparotomy was the surgical approach preferred in most of the cases. Mortality rate was 20%, mainly caused by severe associated lesions. Conclusion: Although traumatic diaphragmatic lesions are frequently associated with severe cerebral and thoraco-abdominal trauma that is also the main cause of death, a prompt diagnosis and treatment can lead to good outcome., (Celsius.)

Background: Diaphragmatic hernia is frequent among the elderly and is usually associated with mild chronic digestive and respiratory symptoms., Case Presentation: An elderly post-esophagectomy male patient, in the early postoperative period of cardiac surgery, presented with acute respiratory distress. An emergent surgery was performed to reduce a giant diaphragmatic herniation., Conclusions: An acute transhiatal herniation can cause serious respiratory impairment; surgical repair should be considered in select patients of cardiac surgery.

Rationale: Diaphragmatic Hernia is rare as complication of Colonoscopy. Diaphragmatic hernia as a complication of colonoscopy has been reported only few cases. Additionally, it is often misdiagnosed as other disease by clinicians due to their lack of related knowledge, which delays diagnosis of Diaphragmatic hernia and thus exacerbates the prognosis., Patient Concerns: We report the case of a 66-year-old man with fecal occult blood. In the case, sudden epigastric pain after colonoscopy owing to diaphragmatic hernia in a left hemidiaphragm., Diagnoses: The diagnoses made by a CT scan without delay. It showed marked protrusion of the large bowel into the left thoracic cavity along with elevation of the left diaphragm., Interventions: The diaphragmatic defect was repaired by simple closure and intestinal adhesions release surgery., Outcomes: Five days after surgery, the patient was discharged in good condition., Lessons: Most of diaphragmatic hernia is congenital with high mortality. However, there are a few cases of Diaphragmatic hernia caused by previous trauma or surgery. We herein report an unusual case of diaphragmatic hernia related to colonoscopy but usually life-threatening complication., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Iatrogenic diaphragmatic hernia following laparoscopic left colectomy for splenic flexure cancer. An unusual complication Diaphragmatic hernias are a migration of abdominal structures into the thorax via a diaphragmatic defect; they may be classified as congenital or acquired and acquired hernias can be hiatal, traumatic or iatrogenic, generally complications of thoracic or abdominal surgery. We report a case of iatrogenic diaphragmatic hernia after a laparoscopic left colectomy for splenic flexure tumor; to our knowledge, in literature this case is the first reported. A 51-years-old woman was readmitted to our Hospital on 11th post-operative day for bowel occlusion and a CT - scan revealed left diaphragmatic herniation with fluid dilatation of the small bowel that appeared in the left hemithorax. Laparoscopic surgery resolution was decided and after the reduction of the small bowel in the abdomen we closed the defect using two direct absorbable auto-block hemi-continuous sutures that were covered by a synthetic absorbable mesh. Probably we didn't notice a minimal injury of the left diaphragm caused by ultrasonic scalpel and we can suppose that this delay in presentation may be a result of the gradual enlargement of a microscopic lesion. Patient's gas exchanges were good during surgery and during post-operative course., Key Words: Diaphragmatic hernia, Iatrogenic, Laparoscopy, Left colectomy, Ultrasonic scalpel.

BACKGROUND Diaphragmatic rupture can be seen in up to 5% of car accidents, and 80%-100% of diaphragmatic hernias are associated with other vital organ injuries. Brain, pelvis, long bones, liver, spleen, and aorta are some other organs that can be severely damaged and need different anesthetic managements. CASE REPORT A 37-year-old male victim of a head-on collision who was suffering diaphragmatic rupture and corneal laceration was prepared for an emergency operation 11 hours after the car accident. Gastric decompression, pre-oxygenation, rapid sequence induction with succinylcholine, immediate use of non-depolarizing muscle relaxant, and mechanical ventilation with low tidal volume after intubation were used in anesthetic management of the patient. CONCLUSIONS Because of the high prevalence of coexisting pathologies with traumatic diaphragmatic hernia, anesthetic management must be tailored to the associated pathologies.

Background: Traumatic diaphragmatic hernias (TDHs) are sometimes difficult to identify at an early stage and can consequently result in diagnostic delays with life-threatening outcomes. It is the aim of this case study to highlight the difficulties encountered with the earlier detection of traumatic diaphragmatic hernias., Methods: Clinical data of patients who received treatment for delayed traumatic diaphragmatic hernias in registers of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from 1998 to 2014 were analyzed retrospectively., Results: Six patients were included in this study. Left hemidiaphragm was affected in all of them. Most of the patients had a history of traffic accident and 1 a stab-penetrating injury. The interval from injury to developing symptoms ranged from 2 to 11 years (median 5 years). The hernial contents included the stomach, omentum, small intestine, and colon. Diaphragmatic injury was missed in all of them during the initial managements. All patients received operations once the diagnosis of delayed TDH was confirmed, and no postoperative mortality was detected., Conclusions: Delayed TDHs are not common, but can lead to serious consequences once occurred. Early detection of diaphragmatic injuries is crucial. Surgeons should maintain a high suspicion for injuries of the diaphragm in cases with abdominal or lower chest traumas, especially in the initial surgical explorations. We emphasize the need for radiographical follow-up to detect diaphragmatic injuries at an earlier stage.

Purpose: To describe the dog as a model for studying laparoscopic correction of experimental diaphragmatic ruptures., Methods: Five male dogs were used in this study. Under laparoscopic approach, a defect of 7 cm was created on the left ventral insertion of the diaphragm. Fourteen days after this procedure, the abdomen was explored using laparoscopic access and the diaphragmatic defect was corrected with intracorporeal suture. The dislocated organs, surgical time, and suturing time were recorded. Analgesia and clinical condition were monitored during the postoperative period., Results: All animals recovered well from the diaphragmatic rupture creation. After 14 days, abdominal organs (liver, spleen, omentum and/or intestine) were found inside the thoracic cavity in all animals. It was possible to reposition the organs and suture the defect by laparoscopic access in three animals. These animals showed excellent postoperative recovery. It was not possible to reposition the liver safely when it was friable., Conclusions: Laparoscopic creation of diaphragmatic rupture in dogs is feasible. Dogs are a good model for training and studying the correction of experimentally created diaphragmatic rupture by the laparoscopic approach. A friable liver is a complicating factor that should be taken into account. Animals submitted to laparoscopic correction showed excellent postoperative recovery.

Intercostal hernias are rare, and usually occur following injuries of the thoracic wall. The scope of this report is to present a case of a 53-year-old obese patient that developed a transdiaphragmatic intercostal hernia. The patient presented with a palpable, sizeable, reducible mass in the right lateral thoracic wall, with evident bowel sounds in the area, 6 months after a motor-vehicle accident. On computed tomography (CT), the hernia sac contained part of the liver and part of the ascending colon. A surgical repair of the defect was performed, using a prosthetic patch. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful and she remains recurrence free at 12 months after surgery. Intercostal hernias should be suspected following high-impact injuries of the thoracic wall, and CT scans will facilitate the diagnosis of intercostal hernia. We consider the surgical repair of the defect, with placement of a prosthetic mesh, as the treatment of choice to ensure a favorable outcome.

Traumatic diaphragmatic hernias could be clinically apparent and diagnosed after months and years after trauma. Bilateral ruptures of the diaphragm rarely appeared. Patients (46 cases) with diaphragmatic hernias were treated at the period from 1998 to 2010. The rate of diaphragmatic hernias consisted of 41,3%, bilateral post-traumatic hernias was noted in 2.2%. The article presents a follow-up study of bilateral diaphragmatic hernia, which was formed on the left (after 1 year) and on the right after 5 years. Diagnosis was supported by radiographic contrast research and computed tomography data. The stomach and omentum were displaced to the pleural cavity on the left, the transversely colon and omentum had a shift on the right. Thoracotomy and diaphragm plasty were performed in both cases. Hernial orifice was located in the area of esophageal opening and crura of diaphragm. It is necessary to increase clinical suspicion in relation to possibility of diaphragmatic hernia origin after severe closed trauma.

Traumatic right diaphragmatic hernia is rare in children. Its diagnosis can be difficult in the acute phase of trauma because its signs are not specific, especially in a poly trauma context. We report two cases of traumatic right diaphragmatic hernia following a blunt thoraco-abdominal trauma, highlighting some difficulties in establishing an early diagnosis and the need for a high index of suspicion.

Introduction: Intrapericardial diaphragmatic hernia is a rare injury. We present a case of an intrapericardial diaphragmatic hernia from blunt trauma. In this report we will review the current literature and also describe the first report of a primary laparoscopic repair of the defect., Case Description: A 38-year-old unrestrained male passenger had blunt chest and abdominal trauma from a motor vehicle collision. Two months later, on a computed tomography scan, he was found to have an intrapericardial diaphragmatic hernia. The defect was repaired primarily through a laparoscopic approach., Discussion: Symptoms of intrapericardial diaphragmatic hernia are chest pain, upper abdominal pain, dysphagia, and dyspnea. Chest computed tomography is the most useful diagnostic test to define the defect. Even when the injury is diagnosed late, laparoscopy can be used for primary and patch repair.

Penetrating diaphragmatic injury rarely occurs in isolation. Diagnosis of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia resulting from penetrating diaphragmatic injury may be delayed or missed with attendant high morbidity and mortality. We reported a 28-year-old man who presented with features of subacute intestinal obstruction which became severe over the last four days. He had a stab injury to his left lower chest wall that was sutured 31/2 years prior to the development of symptoms. Emergency laparotomy with incidental findings of missed diaphragmatic hernia with gangrenous jejunal segment was found. The hernia was reduced, gangrenous segment resected with end to end anastomosis, and repair of diaphragmatic rent done. He had an uneventful recovery and follow up. There is the need to maintain high index of suspicion of Traumatic Diaphragmatic Hernia (TDH) in a patient with recent or previous thoraco-abdominal injury that will reduce the rate of missed or delayed diagnosis.

Diaphragmatic ruptures after blunt trauma are rare life-threatening conditions. Most of them occur on the left-sided hemidiaphragm with herniation or associated organ injuries after a motor vehicle accident. We present an unusual case of blunt diaphragmatic rupture resulting in a delayed hemothorax. A 62-year-old man presented with acute dyspnea that initiated while straining to pass stool. He had a bruise on the lower back region of his right thorax after a slip-and-fall accident 7 days previously. Chest computed tomographic scans revealed a right-sided hemothorax without any evidence of herniation or associated organ injuries. Emergency surgery was performed through a video-assisted minithoracotomy. During surgery, we identified a diaphragmatic laceration with a severed blood vessel originating from the right superior phrenic artery. The lesion was repaired with interrupted horizontal mattress sutures. The total amount of bleeding was approximately 2000 mL. The patient had an uneventful recovery with no further bleeding episodes.

Diaphragmatic rupture is usually an immediate, left-sided complication of high-velocity thoraco-abdominal trauma. Here we present a rare case of delayed, right-sided diaphragmatic rupture and its laparoscopic mesh repair.

Radiofrequency ablation (RF) is a relatively safe and reliable technique for the treatment of pulmonary metastases that has seen rapidly expanding use. Lesions situated near the diaphragm are difficult to treat by RF due to the risk of thermal injury to the diaphragm. Diaphragmatic perforation with progressive development of a diaphragmatic hernia is a rare but serious complication. Treatment is surgical. We present the first case reported in the literature of intestinal obstruction in a left diaphragmatic hernia that developed following RF treatment of a pulmonary metastasis., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

We present a rare case of individual but simultaneous rupture of the left pericardium and diaphragm in a patient with multiple blunt trauma. Skeletal trauma was repaired uneventfully with internal plate fixation. Diaphragmatic rupture was suspected and diagnosed 13 days from the initial trauma when the patient exhibited chest pain, dyspnea, and nausea. Intraoperatively, a pericardial rupture was discovered along with subluxation of the heart and repaired with a mesh., (Copyright © 2012 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Historical and statistical data on traumatic diaphragmatic hernias are presented. It was shown that frequency of occurrence of the pathology in question was dependent on principal causes of its development, anatomic features of diaphragmatic hernias and mechanisms of damage of the diaphragm. In the article the author notes that the worsening of criminogenic situation, increased number of road and traffic accidents were principal causes of the development of diaphragmatic hernias. Special place in the review is given to strangulated diaphragmatic hernias. The basic diagnostic methods for this pathology are radiological investigation, computed tomography and ultrasonic scanning. In addition, the methods of treatment, prognosis of the development of diaphragmatic hernias, complications included, are presented.

A 37-year-old woman presented at casualty with a 1-day history of progressive spontaneous left iliac fossa pain. She was having her menstruations for 4 days. She had no respiratory symptoms. Her medical history consisted of laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis and ovarian cysts. A very small right basal pneumothorax with visualisation of a hypervascular nodular lesion on the right diaphragm was incidentally noticed on the right diaphragm. We suspected here a catamenial pneumothorax. During video-assisted thoracoscopy the surgeon observed in the centrum tendineum of the diaphragm a small and a large perforation with partial intrathoracic herniation of the liver, but without visible diaphragmatic or pleural endometriosis. The surgeons converted to a small anterior thoracotomy in order to reinforce the large perforation with interrupted non-absorbable sutures and plication of the smaller perforation, and finally performed a mechanical pleural abrasion with a surgical pad.

Introduction: Diagnosis of diaphragmatic rupture is difficult, and delays could result in a catastrophic outcome. We reviewed our institution's management of patients with diaphragmatic rupture after blunt trauma., Methods: All patients in this study were treated at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, from March 2002 to October 2008. Patients with penetrating injuries were excluded. The parameters included age, mechanism of injury, haemodynamic status at admission, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score, injury severity score (ISS), imaging studies, location of diaphragmatic injuries, associated injuries and outcome., Results: 14 patients with a median age of 38 years formed the study group. Vehicular-related incidents accounted for 71.4 percent of the injuries. The median GCS score on admission was 14 (range 3-15), while the median systolic blood pressure and heart rate were 94 (range 50-164) mmHg and 110 (range 76-140) beats per minute, respectively. The median ISS was 41 (range 14-66). All had chest radiographs performed in the emergency department, six (42.9 percent) had computed tomography performed before surgery, while the remaining eight (57.1 percent) were sent straight to the operating theatre from the emergency department. There were five (35.7 percent) right-sided and nine (64.3 percent) left-sided diaphragmatic ruptures. The mortality rate was 35.7 percent. Some of the associated injuries included eight (57.1 percent) splenic lacerations, five (35.7 percent) haemothorax and lung injuries, four (28.6 percent) bone fractures and three (21.4 percent) liver lacerations. 12 (85.7 percent) patients underwent repair of the diaphragmatic rupture using interrupted polypropylene suture, while the remaining two (14.3 percent) were too haemodynamically unstable to undergo definitive treatment. Advanced age, haemodynamic instability and raised ISS were associated with mortality., Conclusion: An accurate diagnosis of diaphragmatic rupture in trauma patients is difficult, and a thorough examination of both the hemidiaphragms is mandatory during emergency laparotomy for these patients. Those with more severe injuries and decreased physiological reserves usually fare worse.

Objective: To review our experience in the management of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia., Materials and Methods: The records of all patients operated for diaphragmatic hernia between January 1998 and October 2008 at S.D.S Sanitorium and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases, Bangalore, India were reviewed. Details of their clinical presentation, mode of diagnosis, operative findings and postoperative outcome were analysed., Results: Twenty nine patients underwent surgery for traumatic diaphragmatic hernia. The cause of rupture was blunt trauma in 24(83%) patients and penetrating trauma in 5(17%) patients. In 21 (72%) patients the diagnosis was made within 24 hrs and in 8(28%) patients the diagnosis was made after 24 hrs. Thoracotomy was the most common surgical approach used in 20(69%) patients. Post operative morbidity was 24% and mortality was 13.8%., Conclusion: X-ray chest is still very useful in the diagnosis of diaphragmatic ruptures. Right sided ruptures are difficult to diagnose. Diaphragmatic hernia repair can be done through a thoracotomy with acceptable results in patients without concomitant intra abdominal injuries.

Median sternotomy has been used for a long time as a standard approach for many cardiothoracic procedures in children. Many complications have been reported to result from this approach with different incidences. Iatrogenic diaphragmatic hernia has not been reported as a definite complication of such approach. This paper presents a case report for a 14-month-old boy with iatrogenic diaphragmatic hernia following median sternotomy.

Patients with a thoracoabdominal stab wound may have hidden diaphragmatic injuries that could finally lead to chronic diaphragmatic hernia. In this study, we analyzed 30 patients with penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries that were stable hemodynamically and did not need emergency exploration. They underwent thoracoscopy in order to find a probable diaphragmatic injury from March 2005 to October 2007. The mean age was 26.2 years and the M/F ratio was 5:1. We observed five occult diaphragmatic injuries (16.7%) in thoracoscopic evaluations. Three cases (9.9%) were repaired through a thoracoscopic approach while laparatomy was inevitable in two (6.6%) patients. Pulmonary parenchymal lacerations were observed in two patients (6.6%) which were repaired through thoracoscopy and intra-abdominal injury was observed in one patient (3.3%) which was repaired via laparatomy. We performed thoracoabdominal CT-scan 6 months later and chronic diagrammatic hernias were not reported. Diagnostic accuracy of thoracoscopy was 100%. Owing to the high diagnostic accuracy rate, minimal invasiveness and therapeutic potency of thoracoscopy we recommend it to be performed in all clinically stable patients with penetrating thoracoabdominal penetrating injury especially in the 8th intercostal space.

Diaphragmatic hernias are well-known sequelae of abdominal and chest wall trauma. However, they may go undiagnosed in the acute setting but present later due to gastrointestinal or respiratory complications. A distinctive presentation of a diaphragmatic hernia 15 years after a traumatic insult is herein described. Management strategies are also discussed.

In a large number of cases, post-traumatic diaphragmatic hernias (PTDH) are a consequence of occult diaphragmatic injuries associated with penetrating abdominal trauma. We present a case of a 26-year-old male patient who, 2 months prior to the current admission, sustained a non-penetrating stab wound to the left anterior chest below the nipple. Upon presentation the patient complained of epigastric pain radiated to the left shoulder, and nausea and vomiting. The chest X-ray, and abdominal and thoracic CT scan were inconclusive. The patient was sutured and discharged. The laparoscopic approach was selected as a diagnostic and minimally invasive therapeutic method. The suspected diagnosis of PTDH was confirmed. The herniated organs (transverse colon, small bowel loops, and greater omentum) were reduced, and the diaphragmatic defect was sutured by placing 3 non-resorbable 2.0 knots. The suture was reinforced with a composite mesh affixed with resorbable clips. Postoperative period was uneventful, and the patient was discharged 4 days later.

The most challenging diagnostic issue in the management of thoracoabdominal wounds concerns the assessment of asymptomatic patients. In almost one-third of such cases, diaphragmatic injuries are present even in the absence of any clear clinical signs. The sensitivity of noninvasive diagnostic tests is very low in this situation, and acceptable methods for diagnosis are limited to videolaparoscopy or videothoracoscopy. However, these procedures are performed under general anesthesia and present real, and potentially unnecessary, risks for the patient. On the other hand, diaphragmatic hernias, which can result from unsutured diaphragmatic lesions, are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. In this paper, the management of asymptomatic patients sustaining wounds to the lower chest is discussed, with a focus on the diagnosis of diaphragmatic injuries and the necessity of suturing them.

Violent coughing is associated with a multitude of complications including rib fractures and diaphragmatic rupture. In this report we present a case of a 70-year-old male with the rare combination of both complications resulting in herniation of bowel into the left hemithorax and subcutaneously between the separated ribs. Surgical repair was performed via a left thoracotomy, the hernia reduced and the diaphragmatic and chest wall defect repaired primarily with excellent patient recovery and relief of symptoms.