Case report

Cough induced rib fracture, rupture of the diaphragm and abdominal herniation

Andreas Hillenbrand , Doris Henne-Bruns and Peter Wurl

Universitiy of Ulm, Department of Viszeral – and Transplantation surgery, Steinhövelstr. 9, 89070 Ulm, Germany

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World Journal of Emergency Surgery 2006, 1:34doi:10.1186/1749-7922-1-34

Published:	24 November 2006

Abstract

Cough can be associated with many complications. In this article, we present a 59 year old male patient with a very rare combination of a cough related stress fracture of the ninth rib, a traumatic rupture of the diaphragm, and an abdominal wall herniation. The hernia was repaired through surgical treatment without bowel resection, the diaphragm and the internal and oblique abdominal muscle were adapted, and the abdomen was reinforced with a prolene net.

Although each individual injury is well documented in the literature, the combination of rib fracture, abdominal herniation and diaphragm rupture has not been reported.