Rupture of the pericardium presenting as postpericardial trauma syndrome late after blunt chest injury

• Published in: Clinical cardiology (Mahwah, N.J.) Vol. 9; no. 9; pp. 467 - 469
• Main Authors: Kyriakidis, M., Vassiliadis, J., Kyriakidis, C. Robinson, Toutouzas, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Periodicals, Inc 01.09.1986; Wiley
• Subjects: Adult; Aortic Aneurysm - complications; Aortic Aneurysm - congenital; Biological and medical sciences; blunt chest injury; Chest Pain - diagnosis; Chest Pain - etiology; Echocardiography; Electrocardiography; Humans; Injuries of the thorax. Foreign bodies. Diseases due to physical agents; Male; Medical sciences; Pericardium - injuries; postpericardial trauma syndrome; Rupture; rupture of the pericardium; Sinus of Valsalva; Thoracic Injuries - complications; Time Factors; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Cardiovascular disease; Contusion; Thorax; Trauma; Tissue rupture; Pericardium
• ISSN: 0160-9289; 1932-8737
• DOI: 10.1002/clc.4960090916

A 40‐year‐old man presented with a clinical picture of postpericardial trauma syndrome six weeks after blunt injury to the chest. Posttraumatic pericardial rupture was diagnosed at exploratory thoracotomy. The presence of aortic regurgitation due to a previously undiagnosed congenital sinus of Valsalva aneurysm complicated the clinical picture. To our knowledge this is the first report of postpericardial trauma syndrome associated with pericardial rupture after blunt chest injury. It emphasizes the high index of suspicion required for diagnosis of pericardial rupture, a condition with potentially lethal complications.