title: Misleading symptoms after a minor blunt chest trauma. Thoracoscopic treatment of diaphragmatic rupture.
abstract: We present a case of missed diaphragmatic rupture which was treated thoracoscopically. Rupture of the diaphragm is a serious complication of blunt trauma. The diaphragmatic injury can easily be overlooked. This report illustrates the diagnostic dilemma in a patient where the injury was missed at the time of initial presentation. The role of thoracoscopy both for diagnosis and therapy is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Kocher
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gürke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuhrmeier
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martinoli
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012421:Rupture; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery