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[Penetrating foreign body in the left ventricle with undetected chronic evolution]

Francisco L Moreno-Martínez1, Alvaro L Lagomasino Hidalgo, Jean L Chao García

  • 1Unidad de Hemodinámica y Cardiología Intervencionista, Cardiocentro Ernesto Che Guevara, Villa Clara, Cuba. flmorenom@yahoo.com

Archivos De Cardiologia De Mexico
|June 24, 2009
PubMed

Insights

This case study highlights a rare instance of a patient surviving with a copper wire fragment lodged in their heart for over three months. The foreign body traversed multiple heart chambers without causing significant bleeding, a unique finding in penetrating cardiac trauma.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Trauma Surgery
  • Medical Case Reports

Background:

  • Penetrating cardiac trauma is life-threatening, with high mortality rates.
  • Metallic foreign bodies, often from firearms, are common causes.
  • Accidental and inadvertent cardiac penetrations are rare.

Observation:

  • A patient presented with a penetrating cardiac injury from a copper wire fragment after closed-chest trauma.
  • The foreign body lodged in the left ventricle for over three months.
  • It traversed the right ventricle, interventricular septum, and mitral valve apparatus.

Findings:

  • This is the only reported case of a foreign body crossing multiple cardiac structures.
  • The fragment occupied a significant portion of the heart's anteroposterior diameter.
  • Remarkably, no acute or chronic bleeding occurred.

Implications:

  • This case challenges typical outcomes for penetrating cardiac trauma.
  • It underscores the possibility of asymptomatic foreign body retention in the heart.
  • Further research into the mechanisms of tolerance and management strategies for such rare injuries is warranted.

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