DIAPHRAGM RUPTURE

Course overview

DIAPHRAGMATIC INJURIES ARE RELATIVELY UNCOMMON, REPRESENTING LESS THAN 1% OF TRAUMATIC INJURIES. THEY ARE TYPICALLY CONSIDERED A MARKER OF SEVERE TRAUMA DUE TO THE HIGH RATE OF ASSOCIATED INJURY. WHILE LARGE DIAPHRAGMATIC INJURIES MAY BE CLINICALLY OBVIOUS IN THE ACUTE SETTING, DIAPHRAGMATIC INJURIES ARE OFTEN OCCULT, AND A HIGH INDEX OF SUSPICION MUST BE MAINTAINED TO PREVENT MISSING THIS IMPORTANT DIAGNOSIS. A MISSED DIAPHRAGMATIC INJURY MAY RESULT IN DELAYED HERNIATION AND STRANGULATION OF ABDOMINAL ORGANS INTO THE THORACIC CAVITY THROUGH THE UNREPAIRED DEFECT IN THE DIAPHRAGM. A THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF THE ANATOMY, ASSOCIATED INJURIES, AND PITFALLS IN DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WILL ASSIST IN DIAGNOSING THIS SURGICAL CONDITION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE WORKUP OF DIAPHRAGM RUPTURE AND DESCRIBES THE ROLE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WORKING TOGETHER TO MANAGING THIS CONDITION.