[A case of traumatic rupture of the pericardium]

A 59-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of compression fracture of the lumbar spine and pubic bone fracture following fall from a ladder. On admission the only a little left pleural effusion in the thorax was noted. Two days later, x-ray film of the chest revealed massive left pleural effusion. Under the diagnosis of left hemothorax, left thoracotomy was performed. Then we found incidentally that the left pericardium had ruptured longitudinally over the length. Herniation of the heart was not developed. The ruptured pericardium was repaired using Teflon mesh.