Diaphragmatic Hernia with Stomach Rupture after Blunt Chest Trauma at a Short Interval: A Case Report

Diaphragmatic hernias have been reported in 0.8%-1.6% of patients who experience blunt chest trauma. The hernia is assumed to form as a result of direct diaphragmatic violation or significant intraabdominal or intrathoracic pressure caused by the trauma. Some reports have described cases of delayed diaphragmatic hernia and subsequent stomach perforation that occurred a few days to several years after an accident. We report an extremely rare case of diaphragmatic herniation in which the process from initial blunt trauma to visceral organ perforation took only 2 days, without any evidence of herniation on the initial X-ray or computed tomography. Delayed diaphragmatic herniation and subsequent visceral organ perforation should not be missed during the period immediately after blunt chest trauma.