A severe penetrating cardiac injury in the absence of cardiac tamponade
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2016-10-26Author
Connelly, Tara M.
Kolcow, Walenty
Veerasingam, Dave
DaCosta, Mark
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Connelly, Tara M. Kolcow, Walenty; Veerasingam, Dave; DaCosta, Mark (2016). A severe penetrating cardiac injury in the absence of cardiac tamponade. Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery 24 (2), 286-287
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Abstract
Penetrating cardiac injury is rare and frequently not survivable. Significant haemorrhage resulting in cardiac tamponade commonly ensues. Such cardiac tamponade is a clear clinical, radiological and sonographic indicator of significant underlying injury. In the absence of cardiac tamponade, diagnosis can be more challenging. In this case of a 26-year old sailor stabbed at sea, a significant pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade did not occur despite an injury transversing the pericardium. Instead, the pericardial haemorrhage drained into the left pleural cavity resulting in a haemothorax. This case is notable due to a favourable outcome despite a delay in diagnosis due to a lack of pericardial effusion, a concomitant cerebrovascular event and a long delay from injury to appropriate medical treatment in the presence of a penetrating cardiac wound deep enough to cause a muscular ventricular septal defect and lacerate a primary chordae of the anterior mitral leaflet.