Subendocardial hemorrhages in a case of extrapercardial cardiac tamponade – A possible mechanism of appearance

Abstract

Introduction Subendocardial hemorrhages are grossly visible bleedings in the inner surface of the left ventricle, the interventricular septum, and the opposing papillary muscles and adjacent columnae carneae of the free wall of the ventricle. These are commonly seen in sudden profound hypotension either from severe blood loss from “shock” in the widest sense and, even more often, in combination with brain injuries. Case Outline We present a case of a 38-year-old man, injured as a car driver in a frontal collision, who died c. 45 minutes after the accident. The autopsy revealed severe chest trauma, including multiple right-sided direct rib fractures with the torn parietal pleura and right-sided pneumothorax, several right lung ruptures, and a rupture of one of the lobar bronchi with pneumomediastinum, and prominent subcutaneous emphysema of the trunk, shoulders, neck and face. The patchy subendocardial hemorrhage of the left ventricle was observed. The cause of death is attributed to severe blunt force chest trauma. Conclusion We postulate pneumomediastinum leading to extrapericardial tamponade as the underlying mechanism of this subendocardial hemorrhage.