RAIPUR: Doctors at AIIMS Raipur have saved the life of a youth suffering from a rare and potentially fatal diaphragmatic rupture after he fell from the first floor of a construction site in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district, in what doctors described as a highly unusual trauma case.The young man had fallen nearly eight feet on the night of Feb 22. Despite the impact, he was conscious and had no major visible external injuries, making the severity of his condition difficult to detect at first, doctors said.The next day, he went to Government Medical College in Mahasamund complaining of chest pain and mild breathlessness. After initial symptomatic treatment, he was discharged. But when his condition worsened, he approached a private hospital, where a CT scan revealed serious internal injuries.
He was then referred to AIIMS Raipur for advanced treatment.At AIIMS, detailed imaging showed a large rupture—about 7×8 cm—in the left side of the diaphragm. The injury had caused the stomach, part of the liver and colon to shift into the chest cavity, leading to left-sided haemothorax. Doctors also found multiple rib fractures on both sides, thoracic spine fractures and fractures in the limbs.Given the life-threatening nature of the injuries, doctors carried out emergency surgery using a combined thoraco-abdominal approach.
During the operation, surgeons found a near-complete tear in the left dome of the diaphragm. The displaced organs were repositioned, bleeding was controlled and the ruptured diaphragm was repaired with mesh reinforcement. A chest drainage tube was also inserted.The surgery was performed by the department of general surgery team led by Dr Radhakrishna Ramchandani with a multidisciplinary team involved in peri-operative care.The patient was kept under close observation in the intensive care unit after surgery and gradually recovered. He was discharged after around 15 days of hospitalisation.AIIMS Raipur said traumatic diaphragmatic rupture with herniation of abdominal organs into the chest is rare and can turn fatal if not diagnosed and treated in time. The institute said early detection, prompt referral and timely surgical intervention proved crucial in saving the patient.Executive Director and CEO Lt Gen Ashok Jindal (Retd) praised the coordinated effort of the medical and surgical teams in handling the complex case.
