Ventricular septal defect following nonpenetrating trauma. Case report and review of the surgical literature

Ventricular septal defect following blunt chest trauma

We present a 32-year-old male with ventricular septal defect (VSD) following blunt chest trauma. Traumatic VSD is a rare but potentially life-threatening injury, the severity, course and presentation of which are variable. While the diagnosis of myocardial injury may be challenging, cardiac troponins are useful as a screening and diagnostic test. The proposed pathophysiological mechanisms in the development of traumatic VSD are early mechanical rupture and delayed inflammatory rupture. We conducted a literature review to investigate the pathogenesis, distribution of patterns of presentation, and the associated prognoses in patients with VSD following blunt chest trauma. We found that traumatic VSDs diagnosed within 48 hours were more likely to be severe, require emergency surgery and were associated with a higher mortality. Children with traumatic VSDs had an increased mortality risk. Smaller lesions may be managed conservatively but should be followed up to detect late complications. In both groups elective repair was associated with a good outcome.

Ruptured interventricular septum after blunt chest trauma: ultrasonographic diagnosis

A 6-year-old child was found under a heavy bookcase that compressed her chest. On admission to the emergency room she was found to be dyspneic with a systolic murmur and complete atrioventricular (A-V) block. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to cardiogenic shock and loss of consciousness. Echocardiographic Doppler evaluation demonstrated a large ventricular septal defect and tricuspid insufficiency. A pericardial patch was put over the tear in the septum, and torn chordae tendinae were reimplanted to the papillary muscles. A pacemaker was inserted. Her situation improved, but on the third day cardiogenic shock and right ventricular dysfunction ensued and the patient expired. A review of the previous 13 cases from the pediatric literature is presented.

[Myocardial contusions in closed thoracic injuries: a prospective study]

Various laboratory investigations were assessed with respect to their accuracy in detecting myocardial contusion in patients with blunt chest trauma. All patients, aged between 18 and 50 years, admitted to the intensive care unit for flail chest, sternal fracture, pulmonary contusion, pleural or mediastinal lesion not requiring surgery, were included over a twelve month period. A complete cardiac assessment was carried out, including a physical examination, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, enzyme assay (ALAT, ASAT, LDH, CPK and MB isoenzyme), two-dimensional echocardiography (2D-EC), thallium-201 scintigraphy. Myocardial contusion was diagnosed when an area of decreased or absent thallium-201 uptake was found in the scintigraphy. These latter results were compared with those obtained with the other investigations. Sixteen patients, mean age 34 years, were included; two who died before the end of the investigations were excluded. 2D-EC provided the most useful data (pericardial effusions in a third of the cases). The physical examination, enzyme assays, and chest films were of low value. The investigations carried out six months after the initial trauma showed that long term follow-up was not required. All patients were asymptomatic ten months after their trauma Although the diagnosis of myocardial contusion was made in half the cases using thallium-201 scintigraphy, 2D-EC provided reliable data and had the advantage to be carried out at the patient's bedside.

Traumatic ventricular septal defect following closed-chest massage: a new approach to closure

A 59-year-old man underwent a quadruple coronary bypass. Nine hours postoperatively, cardiac arrest developed; it was preceded by bradycardia resistant to pacing. Closed-chest massage resulted in a rapid recovery of stable cardiac function followed by the development of cardiogenic shock. A new systolic murmur was appreciated 36 hours following arrest. It was diagnosed at catheterization as a ventricular septal defect that was subsequently found to lie in the posterior ventricular septum, and two operations were necessary to effect closure. The final operation was performed with exposure of the septal defect through the right atrium. Sixteen months after operation, the patient remained well. To our knowledge, this is the first reported instance of a ventricular septal defect occurring secondary to closed-chest massage and also of the closure of a traumatic defect using a right atrial approach.

Traumatic left ventricular aneurysm in an 8-year-old child

An asymptomatic 8-year-old boy was found to have a left ventricular aneurysm and a ventricular septal defect 14 months after a road traffic accident. At operation a large, thin-walled, clot-filled aneurysm was removed and the septal defect repaired.

Ventricular septal defect following blunt chest trauma

We present the case of a patient with traumatic ventricular septal defects following blunt chest trauma. The pathophysiology and clinical presentation of the lesion are discussed. Definitive diagnostic procedures should be performed immediately in patients with suggestive findings to establish the diagnosis and to determine the magnitude of the shunt and the presence of pulmonary hypertension.

Mitral incompetence and ventricular septal defects following non-penetrating injury

A case of mitral incompetence and multiple ventricular septal defects following a non-penetrating chest injury is described. Cardiac injury was detected by electrocardiogram and by the appearance of a heart murmur in the second week after trauma. Superimposition of bacterial endocarditis seven years later caused cardiac decompensation and necessitated successful surgical treatment. Previous reported cases are reviewed.

Ventricular septal defect in a battered child

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