Missed post-traumatic diaphragmatic hernia. The latent threat.

Diaphragmatic hernia is a fairly rare phenomenon, even more so when it is acquired. Post-traumatic diaphragmatic hernia often causes real diagnostic errors delaying timely treatment. Early recognition of the condition is often difficult or almost impossible even in the best trauma centers and may remain latent and unrecognized for a long time. Constituting an unusual condition, which may contribute to serious consequences, clinicians should be aware of a high index of suspicion for its possibility, particularly in patients with a history of thoraco-abdominal trauma. Given the risk of incarceration, surgery is the standard treatment for the pathology. Although it basically involves open procedures, more and more reports attest to promising results for the minimally invasive laparoscopic approach. We present the case of a patient who developed symptoms consistent with intestinal obstruction and whose evaluation revealed an incarcerated delayed post-traumatic diaphragmatic hernia and who was treated urgently with successful laparoscopic surgery. This report highlights an interesting presentation, especially highlighting the crucial importance of awareness of context. Current literature is reviewed to discuss the characteristics of this scenario and its management.