Key clinical message: Diaphragmatic hernia does not only occur during high velocity impact or penetrating injury, but also can occur when heavy loads impact the torso. Diaphragmatic hernia must be ruled out in a patient with polytrauma with a chest X-ray at the least.
Abstract: Trauma-induced diaphragmatic hernia is a protrusion of abdominal contents through the defect in diaphragm and is an uncommon and less heard of injury. This case report conveys that diaphragmatic hernia should be ruled out in any polytrauma case presenting with shortness of breath with the chest X-ray at the least.
Keywords: diaphragmatic hernia; mesh repair; shortness of breath; trauma.
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