Traumatic Diaphragma Rupture: Falling of the Chair

Abstract

Traumatic diaphragma injury occurs due to blunt or penetrating thoraco-abdominal traumas. Penetrating traumas cause smaller diaphragmatic ruptures but the requirement of surgical exploration provides early diagnosis compared blunt traumas. diaphragmatic injuries which occured by blunt traumas, usually accompany liver, gastric, spleen, small bowel, lung injuries. Isolated diaphragmatic rupture is a rare but life-threatening condition. The patients are usually asymptomatic if the visceral herniation does not develop in the early post-traumatic period. Radiological diagnosis is difficult in the absence of organ herniation. Delayed diagnosis is related with increased mortality. 84 year-old woman presented to the emergency service with sudden onsetof dyspnea and chest pain. Postero-anterior chest graphy revealed air-fluid level which covers middle and lover zone, lung atelectasis and pleural fluid at the left hemithorax. Chest computed tomography revealed gastric herniationin to the left hemithorax.