Iatrogenic stomach perforation complicating unrecognized posttraumatic diaphragmatic hernia (Gastro Thorax)
Abstract
We report a case of 21-year-old male patient with traumatic diaphragmatic herniation of the
stomach that is misdiagnosed as a hemo-pneumothorax with the resulting insertion of a chest tube
causing iatrogenic perforation of the stomach and draining of gastric content into the pleural cavity.
An emergency thoracotomy was performed, and the stomach has been repaired and reduced to the
abdomen, followed by repair of the left diaphragm. Postoperative wound infection due to residual
empyema was treated aggressively.
We discussed and highlighted the diagnostic approach to clinical management of traumatic
diaphragmatic rupture (TDR) and the importance of using nasogastric (NG) tube to avoid
occurrence of such iatrogenic trauma.
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