Liver in the Chest: A Case of a Large Traumatic Diaphragmatic Rupture

Motor vehicle collisions (MVC) cause more than one million deaths annually and an estimated 20-50 million significant injuries. They can cause blunt and penetrating trauma. Blunt diaphragmatic rupture is generally associated with multiple severe injuries due to the high force needed to cause the injury. Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture (TDR) is normally identified during advance trauma life support (ATLS) secondary survey, after other more serious injuries are identified in the primary survey. We present a case of a patient who was involved in a MVC with multiple injuries, which were treated appropriately, prior to identification and treatment of a severe right-sided diaphragm injury. Imaging showed only a persistent right hemidiaphragm elevation. Intra-operative findings consisted of complete herniation of the liver with a Grade IV, 30 cm, right-sided diaphragmatic rupture. The herniated liver was repositioned and the diaphragm primarily repaired without complication. This case highlights a severe injury from a blunt MVC and rapid successful recovery of the patient once appropriately treated.