[A case of a traumatic diaphragmatic true hernia manifesting itself 12 years after the accident].

A case of surgical treatment of a traumatic diaphragmatic true hernia was presented, which manifested itself as symptoms of left chest oppression 12 years after the accident. The patient was a 66-year-old woman, who met traffic accident in 1976. She was first pointed out abnormal shadow on the chest X-ray in 1981 and began to feel chest oppression in 1988. Barium examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract and chest CT scan revealed a part of corpus ventriculi and colon herniated into the left hemithorax. Diaphragmatic hernia was diagnosed and the operation was performed through the thoracic approach in June 1991. The diaphragm was found to have a hernia sac and a defect at the central tendon. The hernia sac containing the stomach and colon was opened to reduce it's contents into the abdominal cavity. The defect was closed by mattress suture with pledgets and continuous over and over suture. The patient ran a favorable post operative course. A true type among traumatic diaphragmatic hernia is a very rare case in the literature.