title: Traumatic herniation of the heart into the right hemithorax.
abstract: Pericardial rupture after blunt chest trauma is described in the literature. This case report summarises our experience with a 22-year old male patient who suffered blunt chest trauma during a motor vehicle accident. On admission no serious injuries could be detected, but 3 hours later, displacement of the heart to the right hemithorax combined with sudden cardiac failure appeared. Emergency thoracotomy revealed a right-sided rupture of the pericardium with complete herniation of the heart into the right pleural cavity and consequent strangulation by the margins of the pericardial defect.
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor Bahru.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006547:Hernia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D059685:Herniorrhaphy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009049:Motorcycles; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*