Cardiac Contusion with Early Ventricular Rupture—A Case Report

Abstract

Myocardial contusion is a common concomitant of high-speed deceleration injuries in our modern society. Despite increasing awareness of this entity among health care professionals, in many cases the diagnosis remains a difficult one to make because of a scarcity of physical signs. The diagnosis is, however, extremely important because of the possible complications, which include low cardiac output state, conduction defects, atrial and ventricular dysrhythmias, and, rarely, even cardiac rupture. Much less common, but also clinically impor tant, is rupture of the free cardiac wall from blunt trauma.

A case of cardiac contusion caused by blunt trauma sustained in a motor vehicle accident complicated by early ventricular rupture is presented. Ten hours after arrival at the hospital, this patient abruptly became hypotensive and sustained a cardiopulmonary arrest, which did not respond to the usual medical measures. Upon open thoracotomy the patient was found to have suffered a right ventricular rupture, which was repaired; however, the patient subse quently expired.