Penetrating cardiac injuries: a complex challenge

Penetrating Cardiac Injuries In Belgium: 20 years of Experience in University Hospitals in Brussels

“…Eleven patients were hospitalized in the intensive care unit for an average of 4.8 days (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). The postoperative data indicate a residual tricuspid failure in one patient and a reactionary depression in two patients (14%).…”

“…In the literature, firearm injuries lead to devastating lesions and more mortality (8)(9)(10). The other prognostic factors often described are : the delayed initial care, the gravity scores and the anatomic localisation of the injury (2,8,11).…”

“…After opening the pericardium along the phrenic nerve, the heart may be explored. This approach also enables the application of a salvaging aortic clamp and the exploration of the left lung (2,16,17). Some authors recommend the less invasive thoracoscopy in stable patients (18,19) that enables the exploration of the Downloaded by [Nanyang Technological University] at 01: 23 12 June 2016 pericardial and pleural cavities.…”

“…From the first description in the Iliad (1), cardiac injuries were considered irreparable by scientists, including Hippocrates, PAGET and BILLROTH (2). In 1896, REHN (3) performed the first human cardiac repair.…”

Precise survival time and physical activity after fatal left ventricle injury from sharp pointed weapon: a case report and a review of the literature

“…Many studies have been published about factors that influence the survival time and physical activity after a fatal injury from a sharp weapon (the mechanism of the injury, the physiological status, cardiac tamponade, the severity of the cardiac injury, Beck's triad, blood loss…), particularly a heart injury [1,[6][7][8][9]. Cardiac wounds result in death from cardiac tamponade or exsanguination [7].…”