[Traumatic rupture of the diaphragm. Report of 21 cases (author's transl)].

The authors study 21 cases of traumatic rupture of the diaphragm. All were due to road accidents and were associated with multiple injuries. They emphasise the importance of clinical and radiological examination and the often negative results of peritoneal dialysis. Assessment of the lesions should be carefully carried out by a medical and surgical team familiar with these problems. The mortality remains high in spite of rapid and early surgical treatment.