Pericardio-diaphragmatic rupture following blunt abdominal trauma: Case report and review of literature

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture (TDR) occurs in 0–5% of patients with major blunt thoraco-abdominal trauma, in most of them on the left side, and an early correct diagnosis is made in less than half of the cases (Meyers and McCabe, 1993; Ball et al., 1982). PRESENTATION OF THE CASE: We report a case of a forty-eight years old man who had a pericardio-diaphragmatic rupture after a high-velocity blunt abdominal trauma that was diagnosed and treated successfully. DISCUSSION: Pericardio-diaphragmatic rupture (PDR) is an uncommon problem that poses a diagnostic challenge to surgeons. The incidence of PDR is between 0.2% and 3.3% of cases with TDR (Sharma, 1999 [3]). CONCLUSION: PDR should be suspected in any patient with high velocity thoraco-abdominal trauma. Early diagnosis is essential and needs a high index of suspicion. Early Management is important in decreasing morbidity and mortality.