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[Traumatic rupture of the pericardium. A rare diagnosis]
E Pondaven1, J L Hanouz, J L Gérard
1Département d'anesthésie-réanimation chirurgicale et de médecine d'urgence, centre hospitalier universitaire Côte-de-Nacre, Caen, France.
Annales Francaises D'Anesthesie Et De Reanimation
|January 9, 1999
Abstract:
Rupture of the pericardium is a rare complication of blunt chest trauma. The diagnosis is difficult and if it remains unrecognized, severe complications such as heart herniation may occur. We report the case of a 19-year-old patient with a traumatic rupture of the pericardium. The diagnosis was suggested by a pneumopericardium seen on the chest radiograph and CT-scan. Emergency thoracotomy enabled localisation of the tear, assessment of its size, and reparation of the tear to prevent heart herniation.