Background: Traumatic diaphragmatic hernias are serious complications of bl
unt abdominal or thoracic trauma. In the early posttraumatic period, they a
re often missed, and they may be followed by a variety of subacute or chron
ic symptoms due to pulmonary or intestinal obstruction.
Methods: We present three cases of traumatic diaphragmatic hernias. Two of
them were successfully treated by laparoscopy and direct suturing during th
e early posttraumatic period; the other was treated 10 years after the trau
ma.
Results: We found that laparoscopy is a safe, successful, and gentle proced
ure not only for diagnosis but for treatment as well. The postoperative cou
rse was uneventful in all cases. All patients remained asymptomatic during
long-term follow-up (42-60 months). These results are promising. We expect
the same good long-term results after laparoscopic repair as after open con
ventional surgery.
Conclusion: We recommend that surgeons with sufficient experience in laparo
scopy use a minimally invasive approach to treat chronic as well as acute t
raumatic diaphragmatic hernias in hemodynamically stable patients.