Cardiac complications in trauma

Post-traumatic cardiac complications may occur after penetrating or blunt injuries to the heart or may follow severe extracardiac injuries. The majority of victims with penetrating injuries to the heart die at the scene and do not reach hospital care. For those patients who reach hospital care, an immediate operation, sometimes in the emergency room, cardiac injury repair, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation provide the only possibility of survival. Many patients develop perioperative cardiac complications such as acute cardiac failure, cardiac arrhythmias, coronary air embolism, and myocardial infarction. Some survivors develop post-operative functional abnormalities or anatomical defects, which may not manifest during the early post-operative period. It is essential that all survivors undergo detailed early and late cardiac evaluations. Blunt cardiac trauma encompasses a wide spectrum of injuries that includes asymptomatic myocardial contusion, arrhythmias, or cardiogenic shock to full-thickness cardiac rupture and death. Clinical examination, electrocardiograms, troponin measurements, and echocardiography are the cornerstone of diagnosis and monitoring of these patients. Lastly, some serious extracardiac traumatic conditions, such as traumatic pneumonectomy and severe traumatic brain injury, may result in cardiac complications. This may include tachyarrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, electrocardiographic changes, troponin elevations, heart failure, and cardiac arrest.

The importance of simulation education for the management of traumatic cardiac injuries: a case series

Background The management of cardiac trauma requires rapid intervention in the emergency room, facilitated by a surgeon with prior experience to have good outcomes. Many surgeons have little experience in the requisite procedures. We report here 4 patients who suffered cardiac trauma, and all 4 patients survived with good neurologic outcomes. Case presentations Patient 1 suffered blunt cardiac trauma from a motor vehicle accident and presented in shock. Cardiac tamponade was diagnosed and a cardiac rupture repaired with staples through a median sternotomy after rapid transport to the operating room. Patient 2 suffered blunt cardiac trauma and presented in shock with cardiac tamponade. Operating room median sternotomy allowed extraction of pericardial clot with recovery of physiologic stability. Patient 3 presented with self-inflicted stab wounds to the chest and was unstable. She was brought to the operating room and thoracotomy allowed identification of a left ventricle wound which was repaired with a suture. Patient 4 presented in cardiac arrest with multiple self-inflicted stab wounds to the chest. Emergency room thoracotomy allowed repair of a right ventricle laceration with recovery of vital signs. Conclusions The management of all 4 patients was according to the principles taught in the ATOM course. Three of the 4 surgeons had no prior experience with management of cardiac trauma and credited the good outcomes to taking the ATOM course. These are uncommon injuries and formal training in their management is beneficial to patients.

Cardiac complications in trauma

Post-traumatic cardiac complications may occur after penetrating or blunt injuries to the heart or may follow severe extracardiac injuries. The majority of victims with penetrating injuries to the heart die at the scene and do not reach hospital care. For those patients who reach hospital care, an immediate operation, sometimes in the emergency room, cardiac injury repair, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation provide the only possibility of survival. Many patients develop perioperative cardiac complications such as acute cardiac failure, cardiac arrhythmias, coronary air embolism, and myocardial infarction. Some survivors develop post-operative functional abnormalities or anatomical defects, which may not manifest during the early post-operative period. It is essential that all survivors undergo detailed early and late cardiac evaluations. Blunt cardiac trauma encompasses a wide spectrum of injuries that includes asymptomatic myocardial contusion, arrhythmias, or cardiogenic shock to full-thickness cardiac rupture and death. Clinical examination, electrocardiograms, troponin measurements, and echocardiography are the cornerstone of diagnosis and monitoring of these patients. Lastly, some serious extracardiac traumatic conditions, such as traumatic pneumonectomy and severe traumatic brain injury, may result in cardiac complications. This may include tachyarrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, electrocardiographic changes, troponin elevations, heart failure, and cardiac arrest.