Repair of penetrating pericardial and diaphragmatic injury with cormatrix® patch in a case of suicide attempt

Abstract The authors report the case of a suicide attempt. A 59-year-old man with self-inflicted penetrating chest trauma underwent emergency cardiothoracic surgery. Pre-operative computed tomography scan showed critical proximity between the blade and the right ventricle. Intraoperative findings showed a pericardial laceration and a huge diaphragmatic lesion with heart and abdominal organs integrity. The diaphragm muscle was repaired with a CorMatrix® patch, an acceptable alternative to the traditional synthetic mesh avoiding infection and repeated herniation.

Natural history of extensive diaphragmatic injury on the right side: experimental study in rats / História natural do ferimento diafragmático extenso à direita: estudo experimental em ratos

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the natural healing of the rat diaphragm that suffered an extensive right penetrating injury. METHODS: Animals were submitted to an extensive penetrating injury in right diaphragm. The sample consisted of 40 animals. The variables studied were initial weight, weight 21 days after surgery; healing of the diaphragm, non-healing of the diaphragm, and herniated abdominal contents into the chest. RESULTS: Ten animals were used as controls for weight and 30 animals were operated. Two animals died during the experiment, so 28 animals formed the operated group; healing of the diaphragm occurred in 15 animals (54%), 11 other animals showed diaphragmatic hernia (39%) and in two we observed only diaphragmatic injury without hernia (7%). Among the herniated organs, the liver was found in 100% of animals, followed by the omentum in 77%, small bowel in 62%, colon in 46%, stomach in 31% and spleen in 15%. The control group and the diaphragmatic healing subgroup showed increased weight since the beginning of the study and the 21 days after surgery (p <0.001). The unhealed group showed no change in weight (p = 0.228). CONCLUSION: there is a predominance of spontaneous healing in the right diaphragm; animals in which there was no healing of the diaphragm did not gain weight, and the liver was the organ present in 100% the diaphragmatic surface in all rats with healed diaphragm or not. .

OBJETIVO: avaliar a cicatrização natural do diafragma de ratos que sofreram um ferimento penetrante extenso à direita. MÉTODOS: os animais sofreram uma lesão penetrante extensa no diafragma direito. A amostra foi composta por 40 animais. As variáveis estudadas foram peso inicial e em 21 dias de operados; cicatrização do diafragma, não cicatrização do diafragma e conteúdo herniado do abdome para o tórax. RESULTADOS: dez animais constituíram o grupo controle para o peso e 30 animais foram operados. Dois animais morreram durante o experimento, sendo assim, 28 animais constituíram o grupo de operados; ocorreu a cicatrização do diafragma em 15 animais (54%), outros 11 animais apresentaram hérnia diafragmática (39%) e por fim em dois animais observamos somente lesão diafragmática sem hérnia (7%). Analisando os órgãos herniados, encontramos o fígado em 100% dos animais, seguido pelo omento em 77%; delgado em 62%; cólon em 46%; estômago em 31% e baço em 15%. Os grupos controle e de cicatrização do diafragma apresentaram acréscimo significativo de peso do momento inicial para o momento 21 dias (p<0,001). O grupo não cicatrizado não apresentou alteração de peso (p=0,228). CONCLUSÃO: há predomínio da cicatrização espontânea no diafragma à direita, os animais em que não houve a cicatrização do diafragma não aumentaram de peso, e o fígado foi o órgão 100% presente na superfície diafragmática em todos os ratos com cicatrização ou não do diafragma. .

The clinical diagnosis and treatment of diaphragm injuries / 中国基层医药

Objective To summarize the clinical diagnosis and treatment of diaphragm injuries.Methods 70 cases including traumatic ruptures of the diaphragm and diaphragmatic hernia,46 cases of open injury and 24 cases of close ones were retrospectively analyzed.50 patients were diagnosed before operationk,occupied 71%.20 cases were operated via thoracic incision,40 cases via abdominal incision and 10 cases were trans-thoracic-abdominal approach.Results 66 cases were cured,4 patients died,and the death rate was 5.7%.Conclusions Chest X-ray is the simplest and most reliable method to diagnose diaphragm injuries,early diagnosis and timely treatment are keys to increasing the effective rate and reducing the death rate.