LAPAROSCOPIC REPAIR OF A DIAPHRAGMATIC LACERATION

The role of laparoscopy in the management of trauma patients has yet t o be determined. In the stable patient, laparoscopy can be used to ver ify peritoneal penetration and intra-abdominal organ injuries. This re port describes a diaphragmatic laceration in a 17-year-old boy seconda ry to a single stab wound. This injury of the left hemidiaphragm was i dentified and repaired using laparoscopic techniques. This case demons trates the value of laparoscopy as both a diagnostic and a therapeutic tool in the management of trauma patients.