Asymptomatic traumatic hepatothorax, symptomatic gall stone disease – A rare coincidence

Abstract

Traumatic diaphragmatic hernia rarely affects right side due to protective effect of liver. In adult it is mainly caused by blunt abdominal trauma. Acute presentations are often life threatening and usually clinch the diagnosis early. It may remain asymptomatic for many years unless being detected incidentally during investigations for some unrelated reason or getting complicated by some pathology of herniated viscera. High degree of suspicion is required to detect this delayed presentation particularly in a post-trauma patient as this condition may require modifications in management. We report a case of acute cholecystitis which revealed a rare association of traumatic right diaphragmatic hernia and hepatothorax.