A fatal case of heart and pericardium rupture after non-penetrating chest trauma by road accident. (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sablone, Sara; Bellino, Mara; Introna, Francesco
• Is Part Of: Trauma case reports. Volume 42(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: Heart laceration -- Non-penetrating chest trauma -- Cardiac injury -- Pericardium laceration -- Road accident; Wounds and injuries -- Periodicals; Traumatology -- Periodicals; 617.1005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tcr.2022.100697
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-6440

Abstract

Abstract: Heart lacerations following a non-penetrating chest trauma are rare events, few described in the literature. We report the case of a young woman who died just after a road accident, which determined a blunt thoracic trauma, with perforation of the right ventricle and the contiguous pericardium portion, and compound fractures of the sternum and the left ribs. The case presented is a rare evidence of indirect heart trauma, meaning that there was no correspondence between the chest impact/fracture site and the heart/pericardial lacerations.