Traumatic cardiac wall rupture is a life-threatening emergency which develops as the result of a severe thoracic trauma. Making a prompt diagnosis in the emergency room and treating in a shortest time possible is of great importance for reducing mortality. In this study, a case brought to the emergency room after an in-vehicle traffic accident who was diagnosed with a cardiac wall rupture on examination is presented. The 37-year-old patient was admitted to the emergency room with the complaint of chest pain. On physical examination, the patient had tenderness on palpation of the sternum and right hemithotax. His measured vital parameters were a blood pressure of 90/60 mmHg and a heart rate of 120 bpm. Computed tomography of the thorax revealed minimal pneumothorax, extensive lung contusion and pericardial effusion. Echocardiography was suggestive of pericardial effusion and a 0.5 cm defect in the wall of the right ventricle. The defect was repaired by cardiovascular surgery team and the recovered patient was discharged after an 8 day follow up. The life threatening condition of cardiac wall rupture or pericardial tamponade should be kept in mind for every patient admitted to the emergency room with thoracic trauma displaying vital parameters of hypotension and tachycardia.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.