Rare internal rupture after fall, youth saved

Raipur: A youth who fell from a construction site in Mahasamund survived a rare and life-threatening diaphragmatic rupture, despite showing minimal external injuries. The impact caused severe internal damage, with abdominal organs shifting into the chest cavity. Prompting emergency surgery at AIIMS Raipur.The young man had fallen nearly eight feet on the night of Feb 22. Despite the impact, he was conscious and had no major visible external injuries, making the severity of his condition difficult to detect at first, doctors said.The next day, he went to Government Medical College in Mahasamund complaining of chest pain and mild breathlessness. After initial symptomatic treatment, he was discharged. But when his condition worsened, he approached a private hospital, where a CT scan revealed serious internal injuries. He was then referred to AIIMS Raipur for advanced treatment.At AIIMS, detailed imaging showed a large rupture—about 7x8 cm—in the left side of the diaphragm. The injury had caused the stomach, part of the liver and colon to shift into the chest cavity, leading to left-sided haemothorax. Doctors also found multiple rib fractures on both sides, thoracic spine fractures and fractures in the limbs. The displaced organs were repositioned, bleeding was controlled and the ruptured diaphragm was repaired with mesh reinforcement. A chest drainage tube was also inserted.