Traumatic herniation of the heart into the right pleura

This case report summarizes our experience with a 19-year-old male patient who suffered a blunt chest trauma during a traffic accident. On admission no serious injuries could be detected, but 12 hours later displacement of the heart to the right side combined with sudden cardiac failure appeared. Emergency operation showed a right-sided rupture of the pericardium with complete herniation of the heart into the right pleural cavity and consequent strangulation by the pericardial margin.