Penetrating cardiac injury in blunt trauma: A case report

Abstract

Cardiac injuries may rarely be observed due to blunt thoracic traumas. Cardiac injury often creates a life-threatening condition requiring urgent surgical intervention, and follow-up of these patients should be carefully carried out in the perioperative period. These injuries depend on various factors including clinical presentation, type of injury, the time that passes until the patient reaches the hospital, bleeding, cardiac tamponade, or additional injuries. This article aimed to report a case who suffered penetrating cardiac injury in blunt thoracic trauma. Evaluated in the emergency department due to a motor vehicle accident, the 61-year-old male patient’s chest x-ray revealed pulmonary contusion, rib fractures and cardiac tamponade. The patient was operated emergently. Right atrial injury was observed in the operation. The cardiac injury was repaired with primary suture technique. Cardiac injury in patients with blunt thoracic trauma is likely to be observed. In these patients, careful physical examination, early diagnosis, and treatment are very important.