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Percutaneous Contrast Echocardiography-guided Intramyocardial Injection and Cell Delivery in a Large Preclinical Model
14:24

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Cardioembolic strokes resulting from a self-inflicted needle puncture involving both sides of the heart

Mark Zheng Yi Tan1, Annemarie Brunswicker2, Shamsaldeen Abdelraheem3

  • 1Department of Anaesthesia, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, United Kingdom.

Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
|March 16, 2017
PubMed

Insights

A sewing needle lodged in the heart caused multiple strokes in a psychiatric patient. This rare case highlights the need for more research on managing cardiac foreign bodies.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cardiac Surgery
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Foreign bodies in the heart are uncommon, with limited evidence guiding management strategies.
  • Self-inflicted penetrating cardiac injuries are rare but potentially life-threatening.

Observation:

  • A 39-year-old psychiatric patient presented with multiple cardioembolic strokes.
  • A sewing needle traversed the anterior chest, right ventricle, and interventricular septum, lodging in the left ventricle near the subvalvular apparatus.

Findings:

  • The sewing needle served as a source of emboli, leading to cardioembolic strokes.
  • Successful management requires careful consideration of surgical intervention versus conservative approaches.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the importance of prompt diagnosis and multidisciplinary management for cardiac foreign bodies.
  • Further reporting of similar cases is crucial for building a robust evidence base to guide clinical recommendations and improve patient outcomes.

Keywords:
cardioembolicforeign bodypsychiatryself-harmstroketransthoracic

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