[Two cases of the traumatic rupture of the diaphragm (author's transl)]

Recently, the cases of traumatic rupture of the diaphragm increased due to traffic accidents increasing. We experienced two cases of this type of trauma in short breathing after traffic accidents. The chest roentgenograms on admission revealed multiple fractured ribs, homogenous density in the left thorax and mediastinal shift to the right side with the elevation of the left diaphragm, and the stomach were demonstrated in the left thoracic cavity by the method of nasogastric tube barium study. The transthoracic operation were performed following 7 hours after an accident on the first case. The omentum, splenic flexura of colon, stomach, small bowel, and spleen were herniated to the left thoracic cavity and the spleen was ruptured. The spleen was resected in the same field and the diaphragm rupture was closed with 8 figure stitch sutures. On the second case, also, the transthoracic operation were performed seven days after admission because of misdiagnosis for left hemothorax. Herniated stomach, colon, small bowel, omentum, and spleen were repositioned and diaphragm rupture was closed with 8 figure stitch sutures. Covalescence were smooth and the patients were discharged from the hospital on the 28th post operative days.