A Case of Commotio Cordis

ABSTRACT

Commotio cordis is sudden death due to a non-penetrating chest wall impact in the absence of structural injury to the heart and chest wall. It usually occurs during sports games, like baseball, ice-hockey and soft balls, in young children. When objects (baseball, hockey puck, etc) strike the chest, a fatal arrhythmia like ventricular fibrillation can occur. We report a case of ventricular fibrillation that occurred after a light blunt trauma to the chest wall.