Robotic Transthoracic Repair of a Right-Sided Traumatic Diaphragmatic Rupture
Jin K. Kim, Anand Desai, Anastasia Kunac, Aziz M. Merchant, Constantinos Lovoulos
Abstract
Abstract Introduction Traumatic diaphragm rupture injury repairs are predominately performed through thoracotomy, laparotomy, or a combination of the two approaches. While open surgery is often necessary to follow the fundamentals of damage-control operations in unstable or polytrauma patients, minimally invasive surgery may be an alternative for those with a low injury burden to reduce the postoperative morbidities associated with open operations. Case Description We describe the first case of a right-sided diaphragm rupture from blunt trauma that was repaired by a robotic transthoracic approach in the index admission. Conclusion Minimally invasive repair of an acute traumatic diaphragm rupture is feasible in selected trauma patients.