The surgical treatment of traumatic diaphragmatic hernias

The article discusses experience in treating traumatic diaphragmatic hernias in 68 patients, 63 of them underwent operation. Closed injuries to the diaphragm suffered in falling from a height and in car accidents and knife thoracoabdominal injuries were the main causes of this type of hernia. The principal role in their diagnosis belongs to X-ray examination with obligatory contrast study of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. Among 41 patients who were operated on for non-strangulated hernia of this localization one died. In a group of 21 patients with a strangulated diaphragmatic hernia 11 died after surgery. Necrosis of the gastric and colonic wall, incompetence of the anastomosis sutures, peritonitis, and pleuritis were causes of death.