A case of delayed diagnosis of a right-sided diaphragm rupture with a review of the literature.

Right-sided diaphragm rupture is one of the typical injuries found during a secondary or tertiary survey after a major blunt trauma. This is mainly due to the apparently normal aspect of primary X-rays of the thorax. A right-sided diaphragm rupture can cause severe atelectasis of the right lower lobe of the lung, due to a hepatothorax. We present a case of a delayed diagnosis of right-sided diaphragm rupture, which was discovered by accident because of a new trauma. We review the literature on right-sided diaphragm rupture and its treatment.