Traumatic herniation into the pericardial sac

Case Report: Surgical challenges and insights in a child with a blunt left diaphragmatic and pericardial rupture and heart subluxation

Introduction

Blunt diaphragmatic rupture (BTDR) is a rare condition that can occur in children following high-energy blunt thoracoabdominal trauma. In less than 1% of the cases, pericardial rupture can coexist with a BTDR. A coexistence of BTDR and pericardial rupture can result in displacement of the heart and is associated with high mortality. Clinical presentation is non-specific and requires a high index of suspicion for early management.

Case presentation

A 4-year-old child presented to the emergency unit of our hospital following high-energy trauma with severe respiratory distress. Initially, a left-side chest tube was inserted, but it resulted in no clinical improvement. A chest x-ray showed a collapse of the left lung with a herniation of bowel loops into the left hemithorax. An exploratory laparotomy was done, which revealed a 10 cm × 4 cm defect in the left hemidiaphragm with a medial extension involving the pericardium. The fundus of the stomach and left lobe of the liver were displaced into the pericardial space, pushing the cardiac apex posteriorly to the right side. Concomitantly, the transverse colon and small bowel were displaced into the left pleural space. After the reduction of the herniated abdominal viscera back into the peritoneal cavity, the pericardial sac was repaired by employing an interrupted resorbable suture, while the diaphragmatic defect was repaired by using a horizontal mattress. No other injuries were identified and the abdomen was closed in layers.

Conclusion

BTDR with pericardial rupture is an elusive condition with a high mortality rate that necessitates a high index of clinical suspicion. Early surgical repair of the defect with a reduction of herniated organs can reduce morbidity and mortality.

Traumatic pericardiophrenic hernia: a report of 3 cases

Three cases of traumatic intrapericardial diaphragmatic hernia are reported. The defect was limited to the central tendon of the diaphragm in all 3 cases with herniation of the transverse colon (n = 2) or small bowel (n = 1) into the pericardial sac. A correct preoperative diagnosis was made in all 3, using a dilute barium meal in 2 patients, and from the chest X-ray examination alone in 1. Successful operative repair was performed. Previous reports suggest that barium studies of the gastrointestinal tract are the most accurate method of diagnosis but should be used with caution as they may precipitate cardiac tamponade through distension of herniated bowel.

Intrapericardial diaphragmatic hernia in adults

Intrapericardial diaphragmatic hernia (IDH) is the rarest type of adult diaphragmatic hernia. Only 28 cases have been reported. Indirect blunt trauma has been implicated in most cases, but one resulted from a stab wound to the anterior chest. Patients presented immediately or up to 20 years following trauma with symptoms of intermittent bowel obstruction, including one with strangulation, or cardiac dysfunction, including dyspnea, palpitations, and two patients with cardiac tamponade. Physical findings included bowel sounds in the chest, decreased heart and lung sounds, and an absent point of maximal cardiac impulse. Chest roentgenography usually revealed supradiaphragmatic gas shadows suggestive of bowel in the chest. Thorough examination of both anteroposterior and lateral chest roentgenograms and barium gastrointestinal series may provide positive diagnosis of anterior diaphragmatic hernia, and fluoroscopy after induced pneumoperitoneum may establish its pericardial involvement. Celiotomy is the preferred approach to surgical repair of IDH. Since the symptoms referable to adult IDH can be incapacitating or life threatening, herniorrhaphy should be performed promptly upon diagnosis, with expectation of an uneventful recovery and negligible recurrence rate.

Pericardial rupture from blunt chest trauma

Borrie, J. and Lichter, I. (1974).Thorax, 29, 329-337. Pericardial rupture from blunt chest trauma. Pericardial rupture may occur in two distinct anatomical sites, namely the diaphragmatic pericardium and the pleuropericardium. They may be combined. The problems in each type are different.

In ruptured diaphragmatic pericardium the rent may involve the pericardial cavity alone, or may extend into one or both adjoining pleural cavities. Upward herniation of abdominal viscera can occur, with or without strangulation. The presence of a pericardial rent may be suggested by diagnostic pneumoperitoneum, and chest films showing displaced abdominal viscera; its extent may be fully revealed only by thoracotomy. If the rent involves only the diaphragmatic pericardium without lateral spread into a pleural cavity, the presence of a rent may be revealed only by exploratory thoracotomy with pericardiotomy.

In ruptured pleuropericardium the rent is usually vertical and may occur on either side, more usually on the left. It may be recognized on chest films in its early stages by the presence of intrapericardial air arising from associated lung trauma. There is serious risk of heart dislocation with or without strangulation. The defect must be surgically repaired and, because of pericardial retraction, it may require a fabric patch. Teflon fabric has proved to be a long-term satisfactory pericardial substitute.

Two cases of each type of pericardial rupture are described and illustrate these points.