Urgent Surgical Treatment of Blunt Chest Trauma Followed by Cardiac and Pericardial Injuries

A rare survival case of blunt left ventricular rupture caused by a low-energy pedestrian collision with a stationary forklift: a case report

Blunt cardiac rupture (BCR) is a rare injury with a high mortality rate. It is usually caused by high-energy traumatic accidents, such as motor vehicle collisions. For the first time, we report a rare case of BCR caused by a pedestrian collision with a stationary motor vehicle, which is a low-energy traumatic accident. This is also the first surgical survival BCR case to be reported of a contralateral ventricular rupture at the direct stress site. A 45-year-old formerly healthy Chinese woman, with no family history of heart disease, was walking in a hurry when she accidentally hit a forklift that was parked on the side of the road. The patient gradually lost consciousness, and was admitted to Hwa Mei Hospital Emergency Center 1 hour later. An ultrasound revealed a pericardial effusion about 1 cm deep and a small amount of peritoneal –35 effusion. Emergency computed tomography (CT) scans revealed a small amount of fluid accumulation in the right thoracic cavity, fractures of the 5th and 6th ribs on the right side, and pericardial effusion. The patient’s blood pressure remained unstable after 1 hour of endotracheal intubation, B-ultrasound-guided pericardiocentesis, and antishock therapy; thus, open-heart surgery was deemed necessary. A large amount of blood accumulation was found in the intact pericardium. There was a small blood clot at the apex of the left ventricle near the interventricular septum. The removal of the clot revealed a tear about 1 cm in diameter. The patient’s BCR was successfully repaired in the surgery. By the end of the 18-month follow-up period, the patient was found to have recovered well without significant complications. The internal mechanism of the case report was deceleration. Prompt diagnosis and emergency thoracotomy when BCR is suspected are key to rescuing patients, regardless of whether the accident is high energy or low energy, or if there is evidence of a direct force acting on the precordium, or the presence of pericardial rupture.