Background: Traumatic hemopericardium remains a rare entity; it does however commonly cause cardiac tamponade which remains a major cause of death in traumatic blunt cardiac injury.Objectives: We present a case of blunt chest trauma complicated by cardiac tamponade causing cardiac chamber equalization revealed by reflux of contrast.Case report: A 29-year-old unidentified male suffered blunt chest trauma in a motor vehicle collision. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a periaortic hematoma and hemopericardium. Significant contrast reflux was seen in the inferior vena cava and hepatic veins suggesting a change in cardiac chamber pressures. After intensive treatment including cardiac massage this patient expired of cardiac arrest.Conclusion: Reflux of contrast on CT imaging can be an indicator of traumatic cardiac tamponade. © 2012 Nauta et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
CITATION STYLE
Nauta, F. J. H., Borstlap, W. A. A., Stella, M., & Khalpey, Z. (2012). Cardiac tamponade: Contrast reflux as an indicator of cardiac chamber equalization. Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1749-8090-7-48
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