Post traumatic left cardiac luxation: A case report.
Mokhles Lajmi1, Imen Ben Ismail2, Wafa Ragmoun1
1Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, The Military Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia.
International Journal of Surgery Case Reports
|June 1, 2020
Summary
Blunt thoracic trauma can cause rare but fatal cardiac luxation. Early diagnosis via CT scan and surgical repair of pericardial tears are crucial for survival.
Area of Science:
- Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Trauma Surgery
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Pericardial rupture from blunt thoracic trauma can lead to cardiac luxation, a rare condition with high mortality.
- Prompt recognition and surgical intervention are critical for managing this life-threatening complication.
Observation:
- A 37-year-old male with severe blunt trauma presented hemodynamically stable.
- Imaging revealed leftward heart herniation through a large pericardial tear, diagnosed as left cardiac luxation.
- Surgical exploration confirmed the herniation, and the pericardial tear was repaired with sutures.
Findings:
- Computed tomography (CT) is the most sensitive method for diagnosing cardiac luxation, surpassing chest X-rays.
- Surgical management involves heart repositioning and pericardial tear repair.
Implications:
- Trauma surgeons must maintain a high index of suspicion for cardiac luxation, even with nonspecific signs.
- Timely surgical exploration is mandatory to prevent fatal complications like great vessel strangulation.
