Minimally Invasive Treatment of Traumatic Diaphragm Rupture
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Background: Diaphragmatic rupture is a rare but potentially life-threatening injury that can result from blunt or penetrating trauma. Timely diagnosis is critical to prevent serious complications, yet clinical and radiological assessments are often inconclusive. Case Presentation: We report the case of a 39-year-old male patient who sustained blunt thoracoabdominal trauma in a motor vehicle accident. The patient presented with respiratory distress and generalized abdominal tenderness. Imaging revealed a left diaphragmatic defect with herniation of abdominal organs into the thoracic cavity. Surgical Technique: The patient underwent diagnostic laparoscopy, which confirmed an 8 × 5 cm defect in the left diaphragmatic dome with herniation of the stomach and omentum. The herniated organs were reduced, and the defect was repaired tension-free using intracorporeal 0-silk sutures. A 28-Fr intercostal drainage tube and a 12-Fr abdominal drain were placed. Outcome: The postoperative course was uneventful. A chest x-ray on postoperative day one confirmed normal diaphragm position and re-expansion of the lung. The patient recovered without complications. Conclusion: Laparoscopy provides a minimally invasive and effective diagnostic and therapeutic option for diaphragmatic rupture following blunt trauma. In appropriately selected cases, it offers favorable outcomes with reduced morbidity.
Authors: Mustafa Yılmaz, Cansu Zerey, Hilmi Bozkurt
Institution: Mersin Üniversitesi
Language: English
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4414523734