• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.364-370
• /
• 1989

22 Cases of traumatic diaphragmatic injuries treated at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in Chon-Buk National University Hospital from Jan. 1979 to Oct. 1988 were reviewed in this study. Of the 22 cases, 18 were male and 3 were female, a ratio of 4.5:1. This ratio revealed high incidence in male patient. The age distribution ranged from 2 to 60 years and mean age was 31 years. The modes of injury were as follows: 11 stab wound, 5 traffic accident, 2 fall down, 2 fighting injury, 1 compression wound by sand bag, and 1 slip down injury. Useful diagnostic tools were chest X-ray with or without radiopaque dye swallowing, which was the most commonly diagnostic, UGI series, and thoracoscope. Operations were performed in 22 cases, and 18 cases were through thoracotomy. The herniated organs through the ruptured diaphragm were stomach, omentum, liver, spleen, colon, and small bowel. There were associated injuries, and the most commonly associated was rib fracture. There was no postoperative death.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.47-52
• /
• 1995

We have experienced 30 cases of traumatic diaphragm injury between January,1988 and August,1993. 30 cases were reviewed and following results were obtained. 1.Sex ratio is 22:8 with male dominance. 2.The 27 cases were due to blunt trauma and other 3 cases were due to penetrating injury. 3.Left side injury was more common than right[24:6 . 4.The most common herniated abdominal organ was the stomach 5.Mortality rate was 27% and its causes were not diaphragmatic injury itself,but other associated multiple organ injury.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.579-584
• /
• 1991

The records of 25 patients with traumatic diaphragmatic injuries seen at Chosun University Hospital from February 1977 to May 1991 were reviewed. We treated 20 male and 5 female patients ranging in age from 6 to 72 years. The diaphragmatic injuries were due to blunt trauma in 19 cases[traffic accident 13, fall down 4, compression injury 2] and penetrating trauma in 6 cases[stab wound 5, gun shot 1]. Most common symptoms were dyspnea[72%], chest pain[56%] and abdominal pain [40%], Chest X-ray were normal in 7 cases[28%] and 22 cases[88%] were diagnosed or suspected as diaphragmatic injuries preoperatively. The repair of 25 cases were performed with thoracic approach in 16 cases, thoracoabdominal approach in 6 cases and abdominal approach in 3 cases. Postoperative complications included atelectasis, wound infection and empyema. there was no postoperative death.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.26 no.10
• /
• pp.791-797
• /
• 1993

We evaluated forty cases of traumatic diaphragmatic ruptures that we have experienced from Mar. 1976 to Mar. 1992. Thirty patients were male and 10 were female[M:F=3:1]. The age distribution was ranged from 2 to 76 years with the mean age of 35 years. The traumatic diaphragmatic ruptures were due to blunt trauma in 26 cases[traffic accident 20, fall down 4, others 2] and penetrating trauma in 14 cases[stab wound 13, gun shot 1]. In the blunt trauma, 21 of 26 cases were diagnosed within 24 hours after injury and all cases except one in penetrating trauma were diagnosed within 24 hours. In the blunt trauma, the rupture site was located in the left in 20 cases and in the right in 6 cases. In the penetrating trauma, the rupture site was located in the left in 10 cases and in the right in 4 cases. The repair of 40 cases were performed with thoracic approach in 19 cases, thoracoabdominal approach in 17 cases and abdominal approach in 4 cases. The postoperative mortality was 7.5 %[3/40]. The causes of death were septic shock[1], acute renal failure[1] and hypovolemic shock[1].

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.217-222
• /
• 2012

Purpose: Diaphragmatic rupture following trauma is often an associated and missed injury. This report is about our experience with treating traumatic diaphragmatic rupture (TDR). Methods: From January 2007 to September 2012, 18 patients who had a diaphragmatic rupture due to blunt trauma or penetrating injury underwent an operation for diaphragmatic rupture at our hospital. We retrospectively reviewed their medical records, including demographic factors, initial vital signs, associated injuries, interval between trauma and diagnosis, injured side of the diaphragm, diagnostic tools, surgical method or approaches, operative time, herniated organs, complications, and mortality. Results: The average age of the patients was 43 years, and 16 patients were male. Causes of trauma included motor vehicle crashes (n=7), falls (n=7), and stab wounds (n=5). The TDR was right-sided in 6 patients and left-sided in 12. The diagnosis was made by using a chest X-ray (n=3), and thorax or upper abdominal computed tomography (n=15). Ten(10) patients were diagnosed within 12 hours. A thoracotomy was performed in 8 patients, a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in 4 patients, a laparotomy in 3 patients, and a sternotomy in one patient. Herniated organs were the omentum (n=11), stomach (n=8), spleen and colon (n=6), and liver (n=6). Eighteen diaphragmatic injuries were repaired primarily. Seven patients underwent ventilator care, and two of them had pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. There were no operative mortalities. Conclusion: Early diagnosis and surgical treatment determine the successful management of TDR with or without the herniation of abdominal organs. The surgical approach to TDR is chosen based on accompanying organ injuries and the injured side.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.25 no.12
• /
• pp.1542-1549
• /
• 1992

From March 1986 to August 1992, 18 patients underwent diaphragmatic plication for the diaphragmatic paralyses complicating various pediatric cardiac procedures. Age at operation ranged from 16 day to 84 months with mean age of 11.8 months. In order of decreasing incidence, the primary cardiac procedures included modified Blalock-Taussig shunt [ 5 ], Arterial switch operation [ 4 ], modified Fontan operation [ 2 ], and others [ 7 ]. The suspicious causes of phrenic nerve injury included overzealous pericardial resection [ 7 ], direct trauma during the procedure [ 6 ], dissection of fibrous adhesion around the phrenic nerve [ 3 ] and unknown etiology [ 2 ]. The involved sides of diaphragm were right in 10, left in 7 and bilateral in one. The diagnosis was suspected by the elevation of hem-idiaphragm on chest x-ray and confirmed by fluoroscopy. The interval between primary operation and plication ranged from the day of operation to 38 postoperative days [mean : 14 days]. The method of plication were "Central pleating technique" described by Schwartz in 16 and other techniques in 2. Five patients expired after plication and the cause of death were not thought to be correlated directly with the plication itself. In the remaining 13 survivors, extubation or cessation of positive ventilation could be done between the periods of the day of plication and 14th postoperative days [mean; 3.8day]. We have made the following conclusions : 1] Phrenic nerve paralyses are relatively common complication after pediatric cardiac procedures and the causes of phrenic nerve injury are mostly preventable; 2] Phrenic nerve palsy is associated with corisiderable morbidity; 3] diaphragmatic plication is safe, reliable and can be applicable in patients who are younger age and require prolonged positive pressure ventilation.ntilation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.163-168
• /
• 1974

Five cases of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia were repaired in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, during the period from 1967 to 1974. The first case, a 14-year aid girl, was diagnosed as diaphragmatic hernia during laparotomy because of jejunal perforation 3 days after traffic accident. Herniated stomach, transverse colon, spleen and left lobe of the liver were repositioned and the diaphragmatic rupture on left posterolateral portion was repaired with two layers of nonabsorbable sutures by transthoracic approach. The second case, a 26-year old man,was diagnosed immediately after traffic accident at a local clinic and transferred to this hospital 24 hours later. Herniated stomach, transverse colon and jejunum were repositioned amd diaphragmatic rupture,about 9 cm in length,from the posterolat.edge to the base of pericardium was sutured in two layers. The third case, a 26-year old man who had stab wound on the left lower lateral chest two years ago,was admitted with sudden abdominal pain and vomiting. Upper gastrointestinal series with barium meal revealed diaphragmatic hernia. The herniated stomach and transverse colon through the defect,about 3.5cm in diameter, at anterolateral portion on the left side,were repositioned and repaired with two layers of nonabsorbable sutures. The forth case, a 26-year old man, sustained blunt trauma to the chest by a roller and was transferred to the emergency room complaining of dyspnea 40 minutes after the accident. The diaphragmatic rupture extended from left midaxillary line to contralateral anterior axillary line,about 20cm long, at anterior portion of diaphragm, which was repaired with two layers, of nonabsorbable sutures. The fifth case, a 4-year old girl, had two separate diaphragmatic ruptures on both sides, which were caused by traffic accident. Immediate upper gastrointestinal series after injury showed herniated stomach, colon and spleen into left Chest cavity. Another small rupture with anterior edge of right lobe of the liver in chest cavity was noted. These were repaired with non-absorbable sutures via thoracotomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.27 no.12
• /
• pp.1027-1030
• /
• 1994

We reviewed 10 cases of traumatic diaphragmatic injuries at Soonchunhyang University Gumi Hospital from January 1990 through April 1993. Seven patients were male and three patients were female. The age distribution was ranged from 25 to 79 years, predominant 4th decades occurred in male. The traumatic diaphragmatic injuries were due to blunt trauma in 9 cases[traffic accident 7 and crash injury 2] and penetrating wound in 1 case[stab wound]. The common symptoms were dyspnea[60%], chest pain and abdominal pain in order frequency. In the blunt trauma and crash injury, the rupture site was all located in the left[ 9 cases ]. In the penetrating wound, the rupture site was located in the right[1 case]. The surgical repair of 10 cases were performed with transthoracic approach in 9 cases and thoracoabdominal approach in 1 case. The postoperative mortality was 10%[1/10]. The cause of death was multiple organ failure with pulmonary edema.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.66-71
• /
• 2018

Patients with traumatic aortic rupture rarely reach the hospital alive. Even among those who arrive at the hospital alive, traumatic aortic rupture after high-speed motor vehicle accidents leads to a high in-hospital mortality rate and is associated with other major injuries. Here, we report a rare case of descending midthoracic aortic rupture with blunt diaphragmatic rupture. Successful management with emergency laparotomy after an immediate endovascular procedure resulted in a favorable prognosis in this case.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.27 no.8
• /
• pp.643-649
• /
• 1994

We evaluated sixteen patients of traumatic diaphragmatic injuries that we have experienced from Jan. 1987 to Aug 1993. Age was ranged from 6 to 71 years, predominantly in the fourth and fifth decades. 13 were male and 3 were female, a ratio of 4.3: 1. Blunt trauma was develped in 11 [Lt 7, Rt 4], penetrating trauma in 5 [Lt 2, Rt 3]. Preoperative diagnosis of diaphragmatic injury was possible in 8 patients [72.2 %] in blunt trauma, and 1 patient [20 %] in penetrating trauma. 8 cases[54.5%] in blunt trauma, and 4 cases in penetrating trauma were treated within 24 hours,meanwhile, patients treated after 10 days were 3, all by blunt trauma.The repair of 16 cases were performed with thoracic approach in 4 cases, thoracoabdominal approach in 3 cases, and abdominal approach in 9 cases. The herniated organs in thorax were stomach [5], colon [3], liver [2], and pancreas [1]. Postoperative complication were developed in 9cases[56.3%] significantly related with delayed operation time [p < 0.01 ]. Hospital mortality was 12.5 % [2/16], and the causes of death were hypovolemic shock in one and hepatic failure due to portal vein rupture in another.