Abstract
Background: Acute cardiac tamponade can rapidly become a surgical emergency requiring prompt diagnosis and intervention. Common etiologies of acute cardiac tamponade include blunt or penetrating trauma, surgical complications, sequelae from myocardial infarction and effusion. Objectives: This case report illustrates an instance where penetrating trauma mimics non-penetrating blunt force trauma. Case Report: The following is a report of a woman who died from cardiac tamponade secondary to a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. This case is unique because the pericardium was not perforated; the left ventricle sustained numerous lacerations from the blast forces upon discharge of the weapon, resulting in a hemopericardium. Conclusion: This article defines cardiac tamponade, presents the case, and discusses shotgun ballistics, wounding mechanisms, and blunt force trauma.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 263-265 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Journal of Emergency Medicine |
Volume | 43 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 2012 |
Keywords
- - gunshot
- blast force
- cardiac tamponade
- trauma
- ventricular rupture