[Treatment of heart wounds]

Care results in 48 patients (male--38, female--10) with heart wounds (HW) were analyzed. 40 (83.2%) patients had stab-incised wounds, 7 (14.7%)--stab wounds, 1 (2.1%)--gunshot wounds. 23 (47.8%) patients were hospitalized in consciousness, 17 (35.3%)--in unconsciousness, 8 (16.9%)--in twilight state. The lethality among the latter two groups of the patients was 64%, in the former group--13%. 19 patients from 48 died: in preoperative period--3, during operation--10, in early postoperative period (more than 10 days)--2 patients. The suspected of HW patients must be transported in the nearest surgical hospital. In unstable hemodynamics it is necessary to carry out adequate infusion therapy, in obvious signs of heart tamponade the pericardium puncture must be performed. In agonizing patients, and in case of general anesthesia delay, it is necessary to begin thoracotomy before general anesthesia.