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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2001;20:53-57
© 2001 Elsevier Science NL

Diaphragmatic injuries

Thoracic Surgery Clinic, Kaunas Medical University Hospital, Eiveniu 2, LT-3007 Kaunas, Lithuania

Received 17 April 2000; received in revised form 26 February 2001; accepted 6 April 2001.

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Objectives: (1) To determine the actual incidence rate of blunt and penetrating diaphragmatic injuries (DI); (2) to evaluate the effectiveness of urgent surgical intervention for treatment of DI; and (3) to reveal main causes of postoperative complications. Methods: We reviewed: (1) forensic medical examination charts of 3353 subjects, who died due to polytrauma (including injuries to the chest and/or abdomen) at accident sites; and (2) medical case reports of 4857 patients, treated for thoracoabdominal trauma (TAT) from 1962 to 1998. A detailed analysis was completed with 12 years (1987–1998) of clinical experience, involving 65 (43 penetrating, and 22 blunt) cases of DI. Results: According to forensic medical data, blunt and penetrating DI occurred in 3.7% and 2.6% of individual cases, respectively. Among patients suffering from TAT, it was revealed that blunt DI had occurred in 1.1%, and penetrating in 3.9% of the cases. This data indicates if all the victims, who had sustained TAT, had survived, the incidence rate of DI would have been 2.6% (blunt – 2.1%, and penetrating – 3.4%). All the patients, provided surgical operations due to DI, survived. Morbidity in patients, suffering from blunt and penetrating DI, was 50%, and 35%, respectively. In the group of patients, suffering from penetrating DI, shock, intrapleural and/or intraabdominal haemorrhage, and liver injuries constituted a significant (P<0.05) influence, relevant to development of postoperative complications. The risk of complications was significantly (P<0.05) greater in cases of gunshot injuries. Fractures of chest bones, injuries of abdominal organs, and intraabdominal haemorrhage constituted a significant influence (P<0.05), relevant to development of complications after blunt DI. Conclusions: (1) The danger to the health or even life of patients is not directly caused by DI, but by consequential complications and associated injuries; (2) the effectiveness of treatment is determined by purposeful surgical diagnostics with particular regard to DI and urgent surgical intervention.

Key Words: Thoracoabdominal trauma • Penetrating and blunt diaphragmatic injury • Urgent surgery

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