Successful surgical management of penetrating heart injury due to bomb explosion in a child

Abstract

Unusual penetrating injury of the heart in a 10-year-old child is described. The patient was admitted because of clinical symptoms of acute infection. The accurate diagnosis was put on echocardiography and computed tomography. After sternotomy, no evidence of previous heart injury was noted. A piece of metal from a terrorism-related bomb explosion was located within the free wall of the right ventricle. The urgent surgery led to full recovery of the child. © 2005 Published by European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.