Traumatic abdominal intercostal hernia without diaphragmatic injury

A hernia through an intercostal space involving the bowel is rare but can result in strangulation of the bowel if not diagnosed promptly. We report a case of bowel herniation through the left 9th intercostal space after blunt trauma in a motor vehicle collision. A mass was present overlying the left lower anterolateral chest wall thought to be a haematoma, but it was eventually diagnosed as an intercostal hernia after CT imaging. The treatment for this injury included diagnostic laparoscopy to rule out other abdominal injuries and local repair of the defect. This report discusses the current literature regarding diagnosis and treatment of this rare phenomenon.