title: Abnormal course of nasogastric tube in traumatic rupture of left hemidiaphragm.
abstract: In a review of 17 surgically proven cases of acute traumatic diaphragmatic hernia, a nasogastric tube had been inserted preoperatively in eight. In six of these patients the tube followed a characteristic course, indicating the diagnosis of gastric herniation into the left hemithorax. In four cases the passage of the tubing established the diagnosis; in the other two cases the diagnosis was suggested by plain films alone, but subsequent passage of the nasogastric tube provided confirmation.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001995:Bronchography; D005260:Female; D006549:Hernia, Diaphragmatic, Traumatic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012421:Rupture