title: Penetrating injuries of the heart and the great vessels.
abstract: Twenty eight patients with penetrating injuries to the heart and/or the great vessels are presented. These constituted 9% of all penetrating chest injuries during the period between April 1975 and November 1976. The injuries were confined to the cardio-vascular system in 3 patients only. Twelve patients presented with signs of cardiac tamponade, of whom 2 succumbed intra-operatively due to ventricular fibrillation. Eight patients required respiratory support immediately after operation, of whom one died eventually due to extra-cardiac injuries. The mortality rate in this series was 11%. The remaining 25 survivors have resumed their regular life activities after discharge from the hospital. In none of the cases was the heart-lung machine used for repair.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001401:Azygos Vein / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D014857:Warfare; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000601:surgery*