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Delayed hemopericardium due to trivial chest trauma
1Pediatric Surgery Department, Uludag University, Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey.
Insights
Two boys experienced hemopericardium after minor falls. Prompt surgical drainage led to successful recovery, highlighting a link between mild trauma and this rare condition in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Trauma Surgery
Background:
- Hemopericardium is a rare condition, especially in children without significant trauma.
- Identifying non-traumatic causes is crucial for appropriate management.
Observation:
- Two pediatric cases of hemopericardium are presented: a 7-month-old and a 12-year-old boy.
- Both boys had recent minor trauma (fall from bed, fall from chair) preceding symptom onset.
- Coagulation tests were within normal limits for both patients.
Findings:
- Pericardiotomy successfully drained significant blood volumes (120 ml and 1200 ml).
- Both patients demonstrated complete recovery and remained well during extended follow-up (24 and 18 months).
Implications:
- Minor trauma can precipitate hemopericardium in children, even with normal coagulation.
- Surgical pericardiotomy is an effective treatment for pediatric hemopericardium.
- This case series emphasizes the importance of considering hemopericardium in pediatric patients with chest trauma and effusion.
Abstract:
We report two cases of hemopericardium occurring in seven-month-old and 12-year-old boys, who had no history of major trauma. The possible cause of the hemopericardium for the infant was falling from a bed which was 75 cm high two weeks prior to the admission. The 12-year-old boy had fallen from a chair and damaged his chest 4 weeks previously. Their coagulation tests were all normal. By means of pericardiotomy, we drained 120 ml and 1200 ml of blood, respectively. The boys have now been well over follow-up periods of 24 and 18 months, respectively.