Cardiac tamponade post trauma chest penetrator case report

Abstract

Cardiac tamponade is defined as abnormal fluid accumulation in the pericardial sac
which causes compression of the heart and decreased cardiac output.
Although cardiac tamponade can occur whit penetrating chest injury is relatively
rare (<i%) (1,3,5), when it occurs usually due to the weapon or sharp object pierces
the pericardium and lacerations of the cavities heart causing bleeding which accumulates in the pericardial cavity. The ventricles are the most frequently involved,
with a slight predominance of the right ventricle(43%) due to its anatomical position
in the chest. Cardiactamponade is a condition that causes high mortality (70 - 80%).
The diagnosis and treatment are the oniy measures to ensure the survival of these
patients.
A case of a patient with penetrating chest trauma by short sharp weapon (knife)
which develops post-traumatic cardiac tamponade.