A Case of Right Diaphragmatic Hernia of Sigmoid Colon Showed by Colonoscopy

A 53-year-old man complained of constipation and abdominal pain including the right flank area for three days. He had suffered multiple rib and clavicular fractures on the right side 10 years earlier. Colonoscopy was performed to assess the constipation, which showed a twisted constricted lumen in the sigmoid colon or descending colon. Passing through it, the saccular dilated bowel wall demonstrated edematous, erythematous changes in the mucosa with a purplish color and necrosis. The proximal part of the saccular lumen also showed a twisted stricture with necrotic materials. The abdominal CT showed subsegmental atelectasis in the right lung, right pleural effusion and a diaphragmatic hernia of the colon. In addition, multiple dilated bowel loops were observed in the abdomen. The patient underwent emergency surgery with a segmental resection of the sigmoid colon. We report this case of delayed traumatic right diaphragmatic hernia of the sigmoid colon with strangulation, which is extremely rare and was revealed by colonoscopy. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc 2007;34:227-232)