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Diaphragmatic Injuries

Updated: Oct 21, 2008

Introduction

Background

Diaphragmatic injuries are relatively rare and result from either blunt trauma or penetrating trauma. Diagnosis and treatment are similar regardless of mechanism, although many management issues are specific to blunt trauma. Thus, this article focuses on blunt injuries and details their specific differences from penetrating injuries.

Diaphragmatic injuries were described first by Sennertus in 1541. Riolfi performed the first successful repair in 1886. Not until 1951, when Carter et al published the first case series, was this injury well understood and delineated.

For related information, see Medscape's Trauma Resource Center.

Pathophysiology

Presently, 80-90% of blunt diaphragmatic ruptures result from motor vehicle crashes (MVCs). Falls and other traumatic events rarely are implicated. The mechanism of rupture is related to the pressure gradient between the pleural and peritoneal cavities. Lateral impact from an MVC is 3 times more likely than any other type of impact to cause a rupture, since it can distort the chest wall and shear the ipsilateral diaphragm. Frontal impact from an MVC can cause an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, which results in long radial tears in the posterolateral aspect of the diaphragm, its embryologic weak point.

Review of the historical clinical literature, including the series of Carter et al¹, reveals that the majority (80-90%) of blunt diaphragmatic ruptures have occurred on the left side. The less common right-sided ruptures have more severe associated injuries and result in greater hemodynamic instability. They required greater force of impact, possibly because the liver provides protection or because of a weakness in the left diaphragm. An autopsy series, however, revealed that left- and right-sided ruptures occurred almost equally. Most likely, these ruptures do occur equally, but the more severe injuries associated with right-sided ruptures cause more deaths and thus a lower rate of patient survival until diagnosis in the hospital. The relative frequencies of right-sided (20-30%) and bilateral (5-10%) ruptures have increased each decade, probably because improvement in trauma care has increased survival rates of patients with significant injuries.

In MVCs, the direction of impact may determine if an injury occurs and on what side. The likelihood of injury is related directly to the direction of impact and the person's position in the car. Persons involved in an ipsilateral impact are more likely to sustain diaphragmatic injury, commonly on the ipsilateral side. In the United States and Canada, this is seen as left-sided injuries in drivers and right-sided injuries in passengers.

Blunt trauma typically produces large radial tears measuring 5-15 cm, most often at the posterolateral aspect of the diaphragm. In contrast, penetrating trauma can create small linear incisions or holes, which are less than 2 cm in size and may present late after years of gradual herniation and enlargement.

Penetrating injuries to the chest or abdomen also may injure the diaphragm. This specific injury is seen commonly where penetrating trauma is prevalent. This occurs most often from gunshot wounds but can result from knife wounds. Typically, the wounds are small, although occasionally a shotgun blast or an impalement causes a large defect.

Frequency

United States

Development of diaphragmatic injury in blunt trauma is relatively rare; these injuries are seen in fewer than 5% of all patients with blunt trauma. The incidence increases each decade probably because of the increased occurrence of high-speed MVCs. Improved survival rates are probably due to advances in prehospital care, trauma center triage, and early recognition.

Clinical

History

Clinical presentation varies depending on the mechanism of injury (ie, blunt vs penetrating) and the presence of associated injuries. Symptoms of diaphragmatic injuries frequently are masked by associated injuries. The diaphragm is integral to normal ventilation, and injuries can result in significant ventilatory compromise. A history of respiratory difficulty and related pulmonary symptoms may indicate diaphragmatic disruption.
Diaphragmatic tears rarely occur in isolation. These patients often have associated thoracic and/or abdominal injuries or may have concomitant head or extremity trauma. The rates for associated injuries in blunt diaphragmatic rupture are as follows:
- Pelvic fractures in 40%
- Splenic rupture in 25%
- Liver laceration in 25%
- Thoracic aortic tear in 5-10%
Diaphragmatic rupture and thoracic aortic disruption are uniquely associated in blunt trauma. In a retrospective chart review, 1.8% of patients with blunt trauma had a diaphragmatic rupture, 1.1% had a thoracic aortic tear, and 10.1% had both.² In this last group, the mechanism for all was a high-speed MVC. This association, although rare, is important to consider. The review authors suggested that when one diagnosis is evident, the clinician should further investigate the possibility of the other associated injury.

Physical

The physical examination should focus initially on airway, ventilation, and circulation, with concomitant management of airway, ventilatory, or circulatory compromise. Examination of the neck and chest should include a particular focus on findings of tracheal deviation (ie, mediastinal shift), symmetry of chest expansion, and absence of breath sounds (ie, lung displacement). Since the incidence of associated injuries is high, physical findings typically are dictated by these other injuries.

Early diagnosis
- Diagnosis may not be obvious. It is made preoperatively in only 40-50% of left-sided and 0-10% of right-sided blunt diaphragmatic ruptures. In 10-50% of patients, diagnosis is not made in the first 24 hours.
- Traumatic diaphragmatic injuries are just one of many injuries that can cause acute respiratory compromise.
- Physical examination is limited in its utility in diagnosing this injury, but diaphragm injury may be identified by auscultation of bowel sounds in the chest or dullness on percussion of the chest. A penetrating injury to the abdomen with a suggestion of a lung or thoracic injury indicates transgression of the diaphragm as would a chest injury with any suggestion of abdominal injury.
Delayed diagnosis
- If not made in the first 4 hours, the diagnosis may be delayed for months or years. Thus, 10-50% of blunt injuries (and an even greater percentage in penetrating trauma) are diagnosed late. This number is decreasing because of greater awareness and earlier identification.
- Although the diagnosis may be missed regardless of mechanism, seemingly innocent penetrating injuries may be long forgotten by the patient and are the most commonly missed diaphragmatic injury.
The 3 clinical phases of diaphragmatic injuries were first described by Grimes.³
- The first, or acute, phase begins with the injury.
- If not diagnosed early, the second, or latent, phase occurs. This phase is asymptomatic but may evolve into gradual herniation of abdominal contents. The diagnosis may be made later because of complications of herniation of abdominal contents into the pleural cavity.
- The third, or obstructive phase, is characterized by bowel or visceral herniation, obstruction, incarceration, strangulation, and possible rupture of the stomach and colon. If herniation causes significant lung compression, it can lead to tension pneumothorax. Cardiac tamponade has been described from herniation of abdominal contents into the pericardium. Diaphragmatic paralysis also may occur.

Causes

The 2 primary mechanisms of traumatic diaphragmatic injuries are blunt or penetrating trauma. Blunt traumatic injuries occur most commonly from MVCs or falls. Penetrating injuries most commonly occur from gunshot or knife injuries to the chest or abdomen.

Differential Diagnoses

Abdominal Trauma, Blunt
Abdominal Trauma, Penetrating
Pneumothorax, Tension and Traumatic

Workup

Imaging Studies

Chest radiography
- Chest radiography is the single most important diagnostic study and may show elevation of the hemidiaphragm, a bowel pattern in the chest, or a nasogastric (NG) tube passing into the abdomen and then curling up into the chest. Additionally, a hemothorax, while not specific for diaphragmatic injuries, may be the only chest radiographic finding. The chest radiograph does not allow direct visualization of the diaphragmatic injury/defect but rather the associated herniation or other injuries. The initial chest radiograph is nondiagnostic in approximately 10-40% of patients. Repeated chest radiograph may be helpful. The chest radiographic findings may be masked if the patient is being positive-pressure ventilated (intubated) because this may reduce any herniation. Therefore, obtaining the chest radiograph before intubation or after extubation may be more helpful.
- The liver often protects a right-sided rupture from visceral herniation, and, thus, these ruptures may appear only as an elevated hemidiaphragm from a partially herniated liver. Left-sided ruptures are more evident when the bowel is herniated into the chest.
- Chest radiograph of a blunt left diaphragmatic injury often shows an abnormal or wide mediastinum, even when the aorta is normal. The mediastinum should be investigated because of the association with aortic injury discussed previously.
Ultrasonography is used commonly in trauma and may visualize large disruptions or herniation; however, it may miss small tears from penetrating injuries.
New-generation helical CT scanning is helpful but not 100% sensitive because of its poor visualization of the diaphragm. A diagnosis can be made if herniation of abdominal contents is visualized.
MRI may aid in the diagnosis because it can accurately visualize the diaphragm's anatomy. MRI may be used in a patient in stable condition who has an equivocal diagnosis and no need for laparotomy (some penetrating injuries) or for late diagnosis.
Thoracoscopy has been used to better visualize the diaphragm when the diagnosis is unconfirmed and laparotomy is not required.
When considering a delayed diagnosis, chest radiography and contrast studies (via NG or enema) often are used. MRI typically is an ideal diagnostic test in this instance.

Other Tests

Diagnostic peritoneal lavage
- When diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) is used to detect diaphragmatic injury, a false-negative result may occur. An isolated penetrating injury from the chest can cause bleeding into the lesser sac, which may not communicate with the rest of the peritoneal cavity. A DPL in this situation would show no evidence of bleeding.
- Drainage of lavage fluid from the chest tube has been reported and is a positive result.
- In blunt trauma, the DPL result is often positive because of the associated injuries and not specifically because of the diaphragmatic tear.
- In penetrating chest injuries, most centers use 10,000 RBC/mm³, a more sensitive criterion than normally used, to limit the number of false-negative results.

Treatment

Prehospital Care

Meticulous attention to management of the ABCs, as with all patients, is the cornerstone for prehospital management of diaphragmatic injuries. The diagnosis rarely is made in the field, and no specific prehospital treatment is required. Treat the associated injuries and ensure adequate airway control and ventilation if signs of respiratory distress are present.

Emergency Department Care

Focus on resuscitating the patient. As in all trauma patients, the ABCs are most important. Ensure a patent airway, assist ventilation if required, and begin fluid resuscitation if necessary.
Place an NG tube when possible, as this will help in diagnosis if the NG tube appears in the chest on chest radiograph. Aspiration of gastric contents also helps to decompress any abdominal herniation and lessen the abdominoperitoneal gradient that favors herniation into the chest.
Consider placing a chest tube to drain any associated hemothorax or pneumothorax. Perform this with caution to prevent injury to herniated abdominal contents within the pleural cavity.
Most surgeons recommend chest tube placement prior to transfer to another facility. If this is not required immediately in the definitive care institution, it may be delayed and completed in the operating room.
Performing chest radiography before intubation may yield a better result (because it is more likely to show associated herniation). A repeated chest radiograph may also add to the sensitivity of diagnosis.

Consultations

Surgical repair is necessary, even for small tears, because the defect will not heal spontaneously. The parietoperitoneal pressure gradients favor enlargement of the defect with herniation of abdominal contents.
Surgical management usually employs the transabdominal approach to allow a complete trauma laparotomy to search for other injuries. A thoracotomy may be necessary for repair, especially in right-sided injuries or when significant herniation has occurred. In a few situations of isolated penetrating injury where abdominal injury is thought to be unlikely, the repair can be accomplished by thoracotomy or thoracoscopy.

Follow-up

Complications

Early deaths usually are a result of associated injuries not the diaphragmatic tear. Mortality rate ranges from 5-30%.
Serious morbidity usually is related to reexpansion pulmonary edema or to the laparotomy.
Paralysis or incoordination of the diaphragm is common, but more than 50% of these conditions resolve.
The late complications of an undiagnosed traumatic hernia include all of the following: bowel herniation, incarceration, and strangulation; tension hemothorax secondary to massive bowel herniation; pericardial tamponade from herniation into the pericardial sac; and diaphragmatic paralysis that may recover after repair.
Death and significant morbidity rarely are related to delayed diagnosis. However, incarceration of herniated abdominal contents can lead to infarction or rupture with disastrous consequences.

Prognosis

The prognosis is generally good with immediate repair.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

Failure to diagnose or a delayed diagnosis: A delay in diagnosis of a small diaphragmatic tear may result in significant morbidity or death from herniation of abdominal contents.

References

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Keywords

diaphragmatic injuries, diaphragmatic injury, diaphragmatic rupture, diaphragmatic tear, diaphragm, abdominal injuries, diagnostic peritoneal lavage, blunt diaphragmatic ruptures, blunt trauma, penetrating trauma, knife wounds, gunshot wounds, motor vehicle crash, blunt traumatic injuries, penetrating traumatic injuries

Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Michelle Welsford, MD, FRCP(C), FACEP, Associate Professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, McMaster University; Staff Emergency Physician, Emergency and Prehospital Services, Medical Director, Paramedic Base Hospital Program, Hamilton, Ontario Health Sciences
Michelle Welsford, MD, FRCP(C), FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Heart Association, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, Canadian Medical Association, National Association of EMS Physicians, Ontario Medical Association, and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Steven A Conrad, MD, PhD, Chief, Department of Emergency Medicine; Chief, Multidisciplinary Critical Care Service, Professor, Department of Emergency and Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Steven A Conrad, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Critical Care Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Physicians, International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, Louisiana State Medical Society, Shock Society, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and Society of Critical Care Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

David B Levy, DO, FACEP, FAAEM, Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine, St Elizabeth Health Center; Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
David B Levy, DO, FACEP, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Medical Informatics Association, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

John D Halamka, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Chief Editor

Rick Kulkarni, MD, Medical Director, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Section of Emergency Medicine, Yale-New Haven Hospital
Rick Kulkarni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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