Case Report
Locked lung by looped hernia: a case report
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* Corresponding author: Abu-Ahmed Z Rahman abu.z.rahman@gmail.com
1 Department of Internal Medicine; UTCOM, Chattanooga, 960 East Third Street Suite 200, White Hall Building, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA
2 UT College of Medicine, Chattanooga, 960 East Third Street Suite 200, White Hall Building, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA
Cases Journal 2009, 2:29 doi:10.1186/1757-1626-2-29
Published: 8 January 2009Abstract
Background
Large pleural effusions are usually symptomatic. We report a patient with asymptomatic massive left sided pleural effusion with left lung collapse secondary to a traumatic diaphragmatic hernia.
Case presentation
A 44 year old male presented with recurrent pleural effusions over six weeks. His pleural effusion was first diagnosed incidentally on a chest X-ray after a fall. Extensive diagnostic studies were unyielding for the etiology of the effusion. A diagnostic and therapeutic video assisted thoracoscopy revealed a diaphragmatic hernia with inflamed, incarcerated omentum. After hernia repair there was no recurrence.
Conclusion
This case underscores the obscure presentation of an incarcerated diaphragmatic hernia presenting as massive recurrent pleural effusions.