Takotsubo cardiomyopathy after minor burn injury

The relationship between severe emotional stress and subsequent acute cardiac dysfunction has been anecdotally noted for decades. In fact, cases of "death by fright" have been described since ancient times, and a growing body of evidence suggests that this phenomenon is due to an acute catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy. The authors present a case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy complicating a minor burn injury that occurred during an operating room fire. Two PEA arrests occurred immediately after injury, and an intra-aortic balloon pump was required due to hemodynamic instability. The diagnosis was confirmed by echocardiogram and cardiac catherization. This condition is often unrecognized as a cause of hemodynamic instability and may be more common after burn injury than we presently recognize.