Blunt traumatic pericardial rupture presenting with cardiac herniation

Emergent surgery for cardiac herniation coexisting with complex blunt cardiac injury: A case report

A 38-year-old man was pressed on his trunk by a heavy object weighing about 100 kg. The patient was in shock status on arrival to the hospital. Circular collapse progressed rapidly during contrast computed tomography (CT) scanning. CT images revealed exacerbation of the right lateral deviation of the heart that was earlier seen on X-ray imaging. Considering cardiac herniation based on CT findings, we immediately performed resuscitative thoracotomy and clamshell thoracotomy at the emergency department. Intraoperative findings showed a pericardial defect, and the heart had deviated to the right thoracic cavity. Immediate repositioning revealed a marked improvement in circulation. Full-thickness cardiac injury was observed in the anterior wall of the left ventricle; no active bleeding was observed. We performed temporary thoracic wall closure after cardiorraphy for damage control. After admission to the intensive care unit, he presented with respiratory failure associated with pulmonary contusion. Therefore, veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) was used from the 2nd to the 5th hospital day. After confirming no intra-thoracic events on the 6th hospital day, chest wall closure was performed. The patient subsequently developed heart failure and mitral regurgitation associated with papillary muscle rupture. On the 62nd hospital day, he underwent mitral annuloplasty at the cardiovascular surgery division; After rehabilitation till 152nd hospital day, he was discharged without any neurological abnormality. This was an extremely rare case with concomitant full-thickness myocardial injury, intracardiac injury, and cardiac herniation. Rapid resuscitative thoracotomy and damage control including V-V ECMO yielded good results. Retrospectively, cardiac herniation should have been suspected earlier basis this observation. Our report highlights that cardiac herniation should be considered in case of cardiac shadow aberrations in cases of blunt chest trauma, familiarity with condition and its characteristic imaging findings are critical for the doctor overseeing initial trauma treatment.

[Morphological analysis of cardiac rupture due to blunt injury, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and myocardial infarction in forensic pathology]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the morphological features and forensic pathological characteristics of cardiac ruptures of different causes for their differential diagnosis.

METHODS

We analyzed the data of 44 autopsy cases of cardiac rupture from 2014 to 2017 in our institute, including 11 cases caused by blunt violence with intact pericardium, 4 caused by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), 9 by myocardial infarction, and 20 by aorta dissection rupture.The gross features and histopathological characteristics of cardiac rupture and pericardial effusion were analyzed and compared.

RESULTS

Cardiac ruptures caused by blunt violence varied in both morphology and locations, and multiple ruptures could be found, often accompanied with rib or sternum fractures; the volume of pericardial effusion was variable in a wide range; microscopically, hemorrhage and contraction band necrosis could be observed in the cardiac tissue surrounding the rupture.Cardiac ruptures caused by CPR occurred typically near the apex of the right ventricular anterior wall, and the laceration was often parallel to the interventricular septum with frequent rib and sternum fractures; the volume of pericardial blood was small without blood clots; microscopic examination only revealed a few hemorrhages around the ruptured cardiac muscular fibers.Cardiac ruptures due to myocardial infarction caused massive pericardial blood with blood clots, and the blood volume was significantly greater than that found in cases of CPR-induced cardiac rupture (P < 0.05);lacerations were confined in the left ventricular anterior wall, and the microscopic findings included myocardial necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, and mural thrombus.Cardiac tamponade resulting from aorta dissection rupture was featured by massive pericardial blood with blood clots, and the blood volume was much greater than that in cases of cardiac ruptures caused by blunt violence, myocardial infarction and CPR (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Hemorrhage, inflammatory cell infiltration, and lateral thrombi around the cardiac rupture, along with pericardial blood clots, are all evidences of antemortem injuries.

Blunt force thoracic trauma: a case study of pericardial rupture and associated cardiac herniation

Pericardial rupture, with associated cardiac herniation, is generally fatal. Diagnosis is difficult and frequently missed due to the subtlety of identifying characteristics. We report a case of a left sided pericardial rupture and cardiac herniation resulting from a high speed motorcycle collision. This report describes the course of treatment from the emergent admission to the diagnosis of the pericardial tear to retrospective CT analysis and rupture identification. In addition the difficulties of initial diagnosis, key symptoms, and identification of CT images are presented and discussed.

Left ventricular hernia in a pediatric transplant recipient: case report and review of the literature

Cardiac hernias are rare occurrences resulting from congenital pericardial defects, trauma, or postsurgical changes. Difficult to diagnose, they can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. The first reported case of left ventricular herniation in a pediatric cardiac transplant recipient is presented, and the literature concerning diagnosis and management is reviewed. Clinicians must have a high index of suspicion to diagnose this rare and potentially lethal defect.