title: Acute ascites with blunt cardiac rupture.
abstract: A unique case of acute ascites following blunt cardiac rupture is reported. A 32-year-old woman was admitted to another hospital and transferred to the authors' institution in cardiopulmonary shock with a very distended abdomen 2.5 h after a motor vehicle accident. Laparotomy was immediately performed and revealed 4 to 5 L of crystal clear fluid and a severe liver congestion. Cardiac tamponade was suspected and confirmed through a transdiaphragmatic pericardial window. Sternotomy was performed and a single right atrial appendage laceration identified, which was successfully repaired. The literature regarding blunt traumatic cardiac rupture is briefly reviewed, and the possible pathophysiology of ascites in a blunt traumatic cardiac rupture is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosement, Université de Montréal, Québec.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dagenais
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dion
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beauchamp
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001201:Ascites / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006341:Heart Rupture / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery