Traumatic diaphragmatic hernia (TDH) occurs in about 5 percent of blunt and penetrating abdominal injury and 10 percent of victims of penetrating chest injury. Ten percent of such injuries become apparent only months or years later after the initial trauma. The TDH patient is at risk for surgical complications, including pulmonary aspiration, tension pneumothorax, hypoxemia, strangulation and necrosis of entrapped bowel and hemodynamic instability. Diagnosis and proper management of TDH is essential in order to minimize such complications. The anesthetic management of a patient with previously unsuspected, chronic traumatic diaphragmatic hernia is discussed.
Human ; Male ; HERNIA, DIAPHRAGMATIC ; HERNIA, DIAPHRAGMATIC, TRAUMATIC ; PNEUMOTHORAX