Management of Diaphragmatic Injuries

Abstract

Establishing the clinical diagnosis of traumatic diaphragmatic injury (TDI) can be challenging as they are often clinically occult. Accurate diagnosis is critical however, as a missed TDI may result in grave sequelae due to herniation and strangulation of displaced intra-abdominal organs, as well as respiratory compromise. TDIs can result from blunt and penetrating trauma, and less commonly can be iatrogenic. The mechanism of injury (MOI) plays a significant role in the probability of a patient having suffered a TDI; therefore, the physician taking care of the trauma victim should inquire about the specifics of the MOI in order to minimize the chance of missing a potential TDI.