Traumatic Pericardial Rupture: A Case Report

ABSTRACT

Pericardial rupture due to blunt trauma is very rare, but can lead to serious complications. It occurs mainly on the left, is found incidentally during surgery, and is seldom discovered radiologically unless accompanied by cardiac herniation. The following case describes a 53-year-old traffic-accident victim who received emergency pericardial repair and bleeding control via an exploratory thoracotomy and an exploratory laparatomy. The patient was discharged without any complication and remained healthy at six month after injury.