Diaphragmatic hernia: A condition where abdominal organs move into the chest cavity through a defect in the diaphragm, often due to trauma or congenital issues. Traumatic diaphragmatic injury (TDI ...

Medically reviewed by Kashif J. Piracha, MD The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen. This muscle, also called the thoracic diaphragm, is the main muscle used ...

Further testing confirmed what Yee was afraid of: the cat had a diaphragmatic hernia, when organs normally situated behind the diaphragm are in front of it due to a birth defect or trauma.