Introduction: Diapraghmatic rupture is a clinical case that is mostly seen following a blunt thoracoabdominal trauma or is rarely reported as spontaneously induced by various factors.
Clinical picture: A 28-year-old man presented as an emergency with shortness of breath and severe abdominal pain following a violent cough. His chest radiography and computed tomography demonstrated left diaphragmatic rupture, mediastinal shift and herniation of gastric fundus into the pleural cavity.
Treatment: Left thoracotomy for the replacement of herniated gastric fundus and median laparotomy for the repair of serosal layer of gastric fundus and a diaphragmatic gap were performed.
Outcome: He made an uneventful recovery.
Conclusions: Diaphragmatic ruptures may be caused by violent coughing with serious life-threatening complications.