A Delayed Diaphragmatic Hernia

In surgical practice, diaphragmatic injuries are present in 1-7 % of people with significant blunt trauma and an average of 3% abdominal injuries. Diaphragmatic rupture resulting from blunt trauma is still not suspected by many surgeons. We encountered an interesting case, where a traumatic diaphragmatic hernia could only be diagnosed after 20 days of the initial chest trauma and that too because of intercostal thoracostomy tube drain showed food particles. CT scan revealed abdominal contents in the chest and thoracostomy tube was placed inside the stomach. He was successfully managed by exploratory laparotomy, closure of perforation and diaphragm repair with a prolene sutures.