[The surgical treatment of traumatic diaphragmatic hernias]

The article discusses experience in treating traumatic diaphragmatic hernias in 68 patients, 63 of them underwent operation. Closed injuries to the diaphragm suffered in falling from a height and in car accidents and knife thoracoabdominal injuries were the main causes of this type of hernia. The principal role in their diagnosis belongs to X-ray examination with obligatory contrast study of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. Among 41 patients who were operated on for non-strangulated hernia of this localization one died. In a group of 21 patients with a strangulated diaphragmatic hernia 11 died after surgery. Necrosis of the gastric and colonic wall, incompetence of the anastomosis sutures, peritonitis, and pleuritis were causes of death.