The Odyssey of suturing cardiac wounds: lessons from the past.

Abstract

Cardiac wounds have been described for centuries and still remain often fatal. For a long period of time suture of a myocardial laceration was thought to be absolutely impossible if not sacrilege. It is only at the end of the 19th century that pioneers decided to defy such dogma in desperate cases. Nowadays it seems obvious that a cardiac stab wound require emergent surgery whenever possible. The story of cardiac wounds highlights nicely the change of mind that is required to accept progress and new procedures in medicine.