[Acute abdomen several years after accident due to traumatic diaphragmatic hernia]

The complicated diaphragmatic hernia of traumatic origin, is a life-threatening condition. In most cases, the diaphragmatic rupture is caused by blunt trauma that affects the chest or abdomen, but penetrating wounds may represent also an etiological factor. Traffic accidents are primarily involved, in time of peace. We report a case of a 59-year-old male patient, who had a traffic accident 16 years before his admission to the emergency department. In these years he produced vague dyspeptic symptoms and was treated several times for pleural effusions and COPD. At the time of his latest admission he had frank signs of an acute abdomen.