Background: Traumatic diaphragmatic hernias commonly occur after blunt and penetrating trauma. The difficulties in diagnosing traumatic diaphragmatic rupture due to coexisting injuries and the silent nature of the diaphragmatic injuries at the first admission are the most common causes of delayed diagnosis.
Methods: The medical records of 34 patients (28 male, 6 female; mean age 32.3 years; range 1 to 68) treated for post-traumatic diaphragmatic hernias between August 2004 and June 2008 in Alzahra Hospital were analyzed retrospectively.
Results: Rupture of the diaphragm was left-sided in 22 (64.7%) and right-sided in 11 (32.4%) and bilateral in 1 (2.9%) of the patients. Blunt trauma accounted for the injuries of 22 patients (64.7%). In the first operation, diagnosis was established preoperatively in 15 patients (44.1%) and intraoperatively in 13 (38.2%). The diagnosis was missed in 6 (17.7%) patients in the first operation. Strangulation of the viscera was seen in three patients. The longest interval between the onset of trauma and diagnosis was approximately three years in one case. Multiple associated injuries were observed in 22 patients (64.7%), the most common of which were spleen injury (38.2%), fractures of the extremities and hemothorax (29.4%) and liver injury (26.5%). Postoperative complications were seen in nine patients (26.5%). Mortality of isolated blunt traumatic rupture was 0%. Hemorrhagic shock, young age and associated injuries significantly increased the mortality and morbidity.
Conclusion: Despite the fact that the incidence of diaphragmatic hernia is uncommon, it should be suspected in all blunt or penetrating traumas of the thorax and abdomen. Because late complications are usually associated with high morbidity, the presence of such an injury should be excluded before terminating the exploratory procedure.