title: Blunt traumatic pericardial rupture.
abstract: A 28-year-old man presented with left chest, head and limb injuries following a road traffic accident (RTA). Increasing haemodynamic instability necessitated an emergency left thoracotomy at which a complete rupture of the pericardium and herniation of the heart was found. After repair, the patient made an uneventful post-operative recovery. The aetiology, investigation and management of this rare injury is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Collins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010496:Pericardium / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D012421:Rupture; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery