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Sub-Category:

Diaphragmatic Injuries

Number of Conditions: 1

Diaphragmatic rupture (from blunt or penetrating trauma)

Specialty: Trauma and Injuries

Category: Thoracic (Chest) Injuries

Sub-category: Diaphragmatic Injuries

Symptoms:
shortness of breath; chest pain; abdominal pain; respiratory distress; decreased breath sounds on the affected side; abdominal contents visible in the chest on imaging

Root Cause:
A tear in the diaphragm caused by blunt or penetrating trauma, allowing abdominal organs to herniate into the thoracic cavity.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Physical examination, chest X-ray, CT scan, ultrasound (FAST scan), or diagnostic laparoscopy.

Treatment:
Surgical repair of the diaphragm, typically through thoracotomy or laparotomy. Emergency management may include stabilizing the patient’s airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs).

Medications:
Pain relievers (e.g., acetaminophen , opioids), antibiotics to prevent infection if there is organ herniation or contamination (e.g., broad-spectrum antibiotics like ceftriaxone or metronidazole ). These medications are supportive and adjunct to surgical treatment.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; occurs in approximately 5-7% of patients with significant blunt trauma to the chest or abdomen, and in a higher proportion of penetrating trauma cases.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
High-energy blunt trauma (e.g., motor vehicle collisions, falls from a height), penetrating injuries to the chest or abdomen, prior surgical or congenital diaphragmatic defects.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with timely surgical intervention. Delayed diagnosis can increase morbidity and mortality due to complications like strangulation of herniated organs or respiratory compromise.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Respiratory distress, herniation and strangulation of abdominal organs, infection, sepsis, multi-organ failure, recurrence of the rupture if not properly repaired.