Traumatic right diaphragmatic rupture with hepatothorax in Ghana: two rare cases

Abstract

A rare case series of traumatic right diaphragmatic rupture with hepatothorax in Ghana is reported. The first case involved a middle-aged man who sustained a penetrating chest injury following an unprovoked attack by a wild bull. The second case was a young woman who sustained a blunt chest injury after being knocked down by a moving vehicle whiles crossing the road. Both presented with ruptured right diaphgramatic rupture and had to undergo repair through thoracotomy after stabilization and the two had been well one year after surgery without any complications or sequelae.

Keywords

• traumatic right diaphragmatic injury
• hepatothorax
• thoracotomy
• blunt and penetrating chest injury