[Right atrial rupture after abdominal blunt trauma]

Area of Science:

• Trauma surgery
• Cardiology
• Abdominal imaging

Background:

• Cardiac injuries are common after chest trauma but rare following abdominal trauma.
• Blunt abdominal trauma can lead to severe, often overlooked, cardiac injuries.

Observation:

• A case of right auricular rupture concurrent with a liver injury is presented.
• The injury occurred after a closed abdominal trauma incident.

Findings:

• Computed tomography (CT) scans initially suspected the injury.
• Echocardiography confirmed the diagnosis of right auricular rupture.
• Sudden hemodynamic instability necessitated emergency sternotomy.

Implications:

• Initial clinical signs of cardiac injury post-abdominal trauma can be misleading.
• Prompt diagnosis and immediate treatment are critical for patient survival.
• This case underscores the importance of considering cardiac injury in severe abdominal trauma.