Laparoscopic repair of a penetrating injury to the diaphragm: a case report.

A traumatic diaphragmatic hernia that appears late may have a fatal outcome. Traditionally, the most sensitive diagnostic modality for diaphragmatic injuries has been laparotomy. This results in unnecessary laparotomies. Laparoscopy is now an alternative method for the diagnosis and treatment of numerous intraabdominal disorders. We present a case of a penetrating diaphragmatic injury that was diagnosed and repaired via the laparoscope.