A case of incarceration of the stomach with partial gangrene of its wall was described. In such situations, an erroneous diagnosis of tension pneumothorax may easily be made by juniors. The correct diagnosis and the urgency of immediate surgery are vital to avoid strangulation and progression of gangrene.
In this case, the stomach had passed through a small rent in the diaphragm, leading to strangulation of part of the wall. A thoraco-abdominal incision was performed, followed by a cut through the viable wall and suturing. The stomach became small but continued to function well on long-term follow-up.