Penetrating left ventricular injuries management: single General Thoracic Center experience

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Trauma Surgery
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Penetrating left ventricular injuries are rare and frequently fatal.
• Extended transport times (>30 minutes) correlate with increased injury severity.
• Prompt management of cardiac tamponade and hemorrhage is critical for survival.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of treating patients with penetrating left ventricular injuries.
• To assess the impact of rapid surgical intervention on patient survival.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of patients with penetrating cardiac trauma.
• Analysis of treatment protocols and outcomes for left ventricular injuries.

Main Results:

• Four hemodynamically unstable young males with left ventricular penetrating injuries were treated.
• Median time from trauma to surgery was 16 minutes.
• All patients underwent cardiorrhaphy via sternotomy without extracorporeal support, resulting in zero in-hospital mortality.

Conclusions:

• Timely recognition and referral to the nearest thoracic surgery unit are vital for improving survival in penetrating cardiac injury.
• Decentralized care at closer thoracic surgery units may be more effective than transport to distant Level I trauma centers for these critical injuries.