title: [Traumatic rupture of the pericardium. A rare diagnosis].
abstract: Rupture of the pericardium is a rare complication of blunt chest trauma. The diagnosis is difficult and if it remains unrecognized, severe complications such as heart herniation may occur. We report the case of a 19-year-old patient with a traumatic rupture of the pericardium. The diagnosis was suggested by a pneumopericardium seen on the chest radiograph and CT-scan. Emergency thoracotomy enabled localisation of the tear, assessment of its size, and reparation of the tear to prevent heart herniation.
authors.affiliation: Département d'anesthésie-réanimation chirurgicale et de médecine d'urgence, centre hospitalier universitaire Côte-de-Nacre, Caen, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pondaven
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hanouz
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gérard
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bricard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010496:Pericardium / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D011026:Pneumopericardium / Q000209:etiology; D012421:Rupture; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D013908:Thoracotomy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery