Bilateral diaphragmatic injury diagnosed by laparoscopy.

Abstract

Rupture of the diaphragm from blunt trauma is uncommon, but greatly improved prehospital care and transportation of victims has increased the frequency at which patients who sustain this injury arrive at the emergency room alive. We report a case of bilateral diaphragmatic rupture from blunt abdominal trauma in a 33-year old man. Diagnosis was established by laparoscopy after suggestive chest X-rays, liver scintigraphy, CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging. The methods used to diagnose this condition are analyzed.