ABSTRACT
Introduction: Diapraghmatic rupture is a clinical case that is mostly seen following a blunt thoracoabdominal trauma or is rarely reported as spontaneously induced by various factors.
Clinical Picture: A 28-year-old man presented as an emergency with shortness of breath and severe abdominal pain following a violent cough. His chest radiography and computed tomography demonstrated left diaphragmatic rupture, mediastinal shift and herniation of gastric fundus into the pleural cavity. Treatment: Left thoracotomy for the replacement of herniated gastric fundus and median laparotomy for the repair of serosal layer of gastric fundus and a diaphragmatic gap were performed. Outcome: He made an uneventful recovery. Conclusions: Diaphragmatic ruptures may be caused by violent coughing with serious life-threatening complications.Diaphragmatic rupture is a recognised consequence of high-velocity blunt trauma to the abdomen and chest and also has been reported in 0% to 5% of thoracoabdominal trauma patients. The diagnosis is often difficult and delay in diagnosis is implicated in increased morbidity and mortality.
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