Spontaneous closure of a traumatic interventricular septal defect following a penetrating chest injury

The Role of Heart Team Approach in Penetrating Cardiac Trauma: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Penetrating cardiac trauma has been increasing in clinical experience and is joined to important morbidity and mortality. A case of a 38-year-old female with history of postpartum depression was reported, admitted to our department for cardiac tamponade due to penetrating self-inflicted multiple stab wound of the chest complicated by rupture of anterior left ventricular wall and traumatic ventricular septal defect. Following the unstable hemodynamic instability, a combined therapeutic strategy was chosen: surgery and transcatheter implantation to correct free wall ventricle damage and traumatic ventricular septal defect, respectively.

Late surgical repair of a traumatic ventricular septal defect

Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) complicates approximately 1-5% of patients presenting with penetrating chest trauma, however not all VSDs are evident at the time of initial presentation to the emergency department. Acute closure of traumatic VSDs is indicated in patients with a large defect and haemodynamic compromise, however closure may be delayed in smaller defects in order to minimise operative time, reduce operative mortality and allow for recovery from the initial trauma. We describe the case of a previously healthy 23 year-old Caucasian man who presented in extremis following stab wounds to the precordium. After emergency cardiopulmonary bypass and closure of lacerations to both the left and right ventricles, postoperative trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE) noted a restrictive intramuscular VSD with a high velocity left to right shunt, initially managed conservatively. Elective surgical closure was performed 10 months after the initial injury through a right ventriculotomy using 4–0 Proline sutures reinforced with Teflon pledgets. Despite excellent clinical recovery, 3-month follow-up TTE noted a residual VSD in the mid apical septum. However, given the presence of minimal left to right shunt and the small size of the defect, the patient was managed conservatively with annual review and repeat transthoracic echo. This case highlights the potential pitfalls in both the diagnosis and management of traumatic VSDs particularly where the patient presents in extremis with other life-threatening injuries. Furthermore, it exemplifies the importance of a multidisciplinary approach when planning any elective intervention. Regardless of the management strategy, repeated re-assessment and re-evaluation is vital following penetrating cardiac trauma, and vigilant long-term follow-up is of paramount importance in these cases.

Transcatheter closure of a traumatic ventricular septum defect resulting from a stab wound

A 25-year-old man with a ventricular septal defect resulting from a stab wound to his chest was admitted to our hospital. Because of extensive comorbidity and favourable location, transcatheter closure with an Amplatzer device was preferred over surgical repair. Ventricular septal defects are an uncommon complication of cardiac trauma, but when they do occur from this cause, they often have more dramatic consequences. Transcatheter closure is an attractive, less-invasive alternative in patients with increased surgical risk, multiple previous surgical interventions, or poorly accessible defects.

Spontaneous healing of saccular type aneurysm with ventricular septal lacerations after blunt chest trauma

We present a case of spontaneous healing of saccular type aneurysm with ventricular septal lacerations after blunt chest trauma. A 50-year-old Japanese man was transferred to our hospital diagnosed with ventricular septal lacerations after blunt chest trauma. Electrocardiogram (ECG) at admission showed ST elevations in I, II, III, aVL, aVF, V2-through to V6 were observed. Laboratory data showed elevated creatine kinase. Echocardiogram revealed normal ventricular contraction and a saccular type ventricular septal laceration with an influx blood flow without septal shunt flow. After admission, serial echocardiogram and cardiac computed enhancement tomography showed disappearance of a saccular type ventricular septal laceration. Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at day 30. MRI showed an enhanced scar of saccular type aneurysm with ventricular septal laceration; this image suggested some residual damage of ventricular septal laceration. At discharge, ECG was resolved with normal ST-T level and no Q wave, but persistent complete right bundle branch block and left axis deviation. After one year, repeat MRI showed a scar of saccular type aneurysm with ventricular septal laceration. <Learning objective: To recognize spontaneous healing of saccular type aneurysm with ventricular septal lacerations after blunt chest trauma. This is a case of saccular type aneurysm with ventricular septal laceration after non-penetrating blunt chest trauma successfully healed with conservative therapy. There are many case reports of blunt chest trauma, however, there are few reports of treatment with conservative therapy.>.

A large ventricular septal defect complicating resuscitation after blunt trauma

A young adult pedestrian was admitted to hospital after being hit by a car. On arrival to the Accident and Emergency Department, the patient was tachycardic, hypotensive, hypoxic, and acidotic with a Glasgow Coma Scale of 3. Despite initial interventions, the patient remained persistently hypotensive. An echocardiogram demonstrated a traumatic ventricular septal defect (VSD) with right ventricular strain and increased pulmonary artery pressure. Following a period of stabilization, open cardiothoracic surgery was performed and revealed an aneurysmal septum with a single large defect. This was repaired with a bovine patch, resulting in normalization of right ventricular function. This case provides a vivid depiction of a large VSD in a patient following blunt chest trauma with hemodynamic compromise. In all thoracic trauma patients, and particularly those poorly responsive to resuscitation, VSDs should be considered. Relevant investigations and management strategies are discussed.

Traumatic ventricular septal defect following a stab wound to the chest

A 51-year-old man who had been suffering from depression stabbed himself in the chest with an ice pick. At presentation, an ice pick lodged in the left fifth intercostal space was moving synchronously with his heartbeat. Echocardiography revealed that the tip was penetrating the anterior wall of the right ventricle. Because the patient was tamponading, an emergency operation was carried out. The ice pick was removed following the establishment of a cardiopulmonary bypass and pericardiotomy. The perforation of the right ventricle was closed with a pledget-reinforced mattress stitch. On postoperative day 12, a holosystolic murmur was detected on auscultation. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a ventricular septal defect 5 mm in diameter located near the apex. The pulmonary-tosystemic flow ratio was 1.1 by echocardiographic measurement. No sign of heart failure was present. Although it was agreed to manage the ventricular septal defect conservatively, careful echocardiographic follow-up is mandatory.

Late presentation of retained intracardiac ice pick with papillary muscle injury

An unusual case of a penetrating intracardiac injury is described in a 16-year-old boy who presented with a retained 14-cm segment of an ice pick that went unnoticed by the patient for 4 days. The ice pick had lacerated the anterior papillary muscle of the left ventricle causing avulsion of its tip and prolapse of the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve resulting in severe mitral regurgitation. The urgency for surgical correction of the traumatic mitral valve injury at the time of extraction of the intracardiac foreign body through a single-stage approach versus a two-stage approach is discussed.

An isolated ventricular septal defect as a consequence of penetrating injury to the heart

The authors describe, in a case report, an isolated defect of the ventricular septum developing due to a stab injury to the heart not requiring an emergency surgical intervention. Two months after the injury, the authors performed primary surgical correction of the defect.

Spontaneous closure of a traumatic ventricular septal defect after blunt trauma documented by serial echocardiography

A ventricular septal defect (caused by blunt chest trauma) that closed spontaneously over a period of 5 years was documented by serial echo-Doppler examinations. The shunt was relatively small and the patient was without symptoms from the time the lesion was discovered until its closure. In the absence of cardiac decompensation or pulmonary hypertension, a conservative approach, including serial echo-Doppler examinations, can be justified.