[Management of suspected heart injuries]

Penetrating cardiac injury has to be ruled out in any patients with penetrating thoracic injuries, even in those with no alterations in vital functions. Undelayed echocardiography should be performed to screen for the presence of pericardial effusion. The first case underlines the risk of cardiac tamponade if the diagnosis is missed. Echocardiography was not performed because no echocardiographist was present at the time, and a high suspicion of a neck vascular injury existed. Sudden deterioration due to the onset of acute tamponade was only reversed by an immediate pericardiocentesis followed by surgical haemostasis. The second patient, although stable, had a large echographic pericardial effusion. Emergent sternotomy revealed a large amount of blood in the pericardial space and two cardiac wounds with one on a coronary artery. Penetrating wounds in proximity to the heart, even in a stable patient, require aggressive attempts at ruling out a cardiac injury. Immediate echocardiography should be systematically performed to screen for pericardial fluid.