Subcutaneous emphysema (SCE) mimicking diaphragmatic hernia on X-ray is hitherto unreported and this case has been presented with the aim to alert the clinician about this unusual presentation of SCE to avert undue panic and initiate appropriate evaluation and management. This case also reemphasizes the importance of a thorough clinical examination, which probably could have revealed the subcut...

A cute abdominal wall herniations following blunt abdominal trauma are rare despite the high prevalence of blunt trauma. In multitrauma patients, diagnosing a traumatic hernia can be challenging. We report the case of a 67-year-old woman who sustained a medial detachment of the diaphragm from the anterior portion of the abdominal wall with presternal space herniation (of her stomach and transve...

Necrotizing fasciitis is a critical illness involving skin and soft tissues, which may develop after blunt abdominal trauma causing abdominal wall hernia and representing a great challenge for physicians. A 52-year-old man was brought to the emergency department after a road accident, presenting blunt abdominal trauma with a large non-reducible mass in the lower-right abdomen. A first, CT showe...

A 71-year-old male was referred to us after a steer-wheel blunt trauma of the chest. Computed thomography scan of the chest revealed a posttraumatic pulmonary hernia associated with right haemothorax (Fig. 1). Anterolateral right thoracotomy was performed and herniation through the chest wall of the anterior segment of the upper lobe of the lung was detected. The herniated lung was reduced into...

Despite the high incidence of abdominal traumas, traumatic abdominal wall hernias (TAWHs) remain rare probably because of elasticity of the abdominal wall. The TAWH is due to blunt abdominal trauma with disruption of the abdominal wall muscles and fascia with intact overlying skin. TAWH can be classified into high energy injures (generally motor vehicle accidents) and low energy injures (impact...

The article published in CHEST by Seelig and associates (January 1999)1 on a very rare complication of occult diaphragmatic hernia has an important theoretical and practical value. Like the authors, we found that the diagnosis of blunt traumatic rupture of the diaphragm may represent a challenge. In the majority of 13 patients managed at our clinic between 1989 and 2000, the fact of blunt thora...

The laparoscopic diagnosis and repair of an unusual diaphragmatic hernia are described. Extensive radiological assessment failed to demonstrate the injury, which was diagnosed by laparoscopy 5 weeks after the initial presentation. The diaphragmatic tear was adjacent to the costal margin and was repaired using a novel percutaneous technique. The place of laparoscopy in blunt abdominal trauma is ...

1 of 2 DESCRIPTION A 79-year-old man was admitted with a 3 day history of profuse vomiting. Plain chest x-ray on admission showed an elevated right hemidiaphragm. The abdominal fi lm was within normal limits. A nasogastric tube was inserted and the patient was rehydrated. Subsequent CT of chest and abdomen demonstrated an anterior diaphragmatic hernia with the antrum, body and pylorus of stomac...