Avulsion Injuries of Right Hemidiaphragm: Report of Two Case Scenarios with Different Outcomes

Avulsion injuries of domes of the diaphragm are rare injuries and may occur following lateral thoracoabdominal trauma. We share our experience of two cases of avulsion injuries of the right dome of the diaphragm. Our first case presented within a week following blunt trauma to the abdomen, and on thoracotomy, an effective repair was performed by restoring attachment of the diaphragm to the parietes. Our second case presented with severe respiratory distress, 1½ months after sustaining blunt injury chest and abdomen in a road traffic accident and on thoracotomy was found to have a completely necrosed right hemidiaphragm, and hence, no repair could be performed. However, the patient could not be weaned off ventilator and died after 3 months of primary injury. These cases highlight the importance of early diagnosis and repair of diaphragmatic injuries for a favorable outcome.