RESUMO
Traumatic injuries account for the majority of unnatural deaths throughout the world with cardiac trauma being the leading cause of death among these victims. Understanding the mechanisms of injury as well as complications associated with cardiac trauma is important from both clinical and legal point of view. Traumatic cardiac injuries are considered one of the most commonly overlooked injuries in patient who died from trauma. This study aimed to investigate the cases of fatal traumatic heart injuries that had been received at morgue of Cairo during the period from January 1st 1996 to December 1st 2000. The aim was to find out the incidence of fatal traumatic heart injuries, the type of traumatic heart injuries, the causative agent, the manner of infliction in fatal traumatic heart injuries and if there is a pattern of fatal traumatic heart injuries, whether it could be possible to find out the risk factors of these injuries. In this study, the incidence of cardiac injury have constituted [183] 7.5% of all cases [2, 410] that were dissected in the same period of the study. The mean age of the cardiac injuries victims was 29.7 years. Male represent 167 [91.3%] of 183 cases whereas female represent 16 [8.7%] cases. Penetrating trauma form 171 [93.4%] of all cases, whereas blunt trauma have constitute 12 [6.6%] of all cases. The causes of cardiac injuries were: stabbing 140 [76.6%], firearm [shooting] 31 [16.9%], fall from height [5 = 2.7%], other blunt [5 = 2.7%] and traffic Accident [2 = 1.1%]. Knife was the main causal instruments represent 138 [75.5%]. Manner of death in fatal cardiac injuries was: homicide in 159 [86.9%] of cases, accidental in 15 [8.2%] of cases, suicidal in 8 [4.4%] of cases and undetermined in 1 [0.5%] of cases. The left ventricle was the most common wounded chamber. Represent 82 [44.8%] followed by right ventricles 60 [32.8%] then Right atrium 7 [3.8%] and lastly Left Atrium 2 [1.1%.] About 118 [64.5%] of cardiac injuries victims died at scene of crime and 22 [12.0%] during transportation whereas 43 [22.5%] reach hospital alive and then died. Regard Iry cases of death the isolated cardiac injury represent 157 [85.8%]. At the end of our study we noticed that cardiac Injuries are very important due to: high incidence low mean age of the victims and high prevalence of homicidal cases