Survival after blunt traumatic rupture of the left ventricle

There have been 11 reported survivors from blunt-trauma-induced right ventricular rupture and only three from left ventricular rupture. We report the fourth case of a survivor of blunt left ventricular rupture. This patient presented with hypotension from both hemorrhage into the left chest and pericardial tamponade. The tamponade was relieved via an emergent left thoracotomy, the bleeding from the rent in the left ventricle was easily controlled, and repair was straightforward.