Laparoscopic repair of transdiaphragmatic intercostal hernia following blunt trauma

Background Transdiaphragmatic intercostal hernia (TIH) is a rare clinical entity that generally occurs following trauma or surgical intervention, but it may occur spontaneously Case Report An 82-year-old Korean man presented with left-sided chest pain after falling off an agricultural vehicle. Physical examination revealed a bruised painful swelling in the left lower chest wall confirmed as hernia of the transverse colon and omentum through a defect in the diaphragm into the 7th intercostal space. Laparoscopic repair with a prosthetic mesh was successful with no sign of hernia recurrence 3 years after injury. Discussion TIH is uncommon. Depending on the associated injuries they may be repaired via the chest or abdomen and with the widespread advent of minimally invasive surgery this can be achieved laparoscopically or thoracoscopically. Small defects can be closed directly, but larger defects will require mesh coverage. Care should be taken to avoid using fixation tacks close to the central tendon and are best suited to peripheral defect repairs.