title: [Penetrating wounds of the heart: analysis of 56 patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the management of penetrating cardiac injuries.
  
  
  METHODS
  56 patients with penetrating wounds of the heart were studied retrospectively. The study lasted for 11 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stab wounds accounted for 89.3% of the 56 patients. 56 patients underwent thoracotomy. Preoperative infusion was less than 1,000 ml in 68% of the patients. Preoperative pericardiocentesis was done only in 2 patients, of whom one was false negative. Four patients with cardiac arrest soon after arrival were subjected to emergency thoracotomy; three survived. After the operation, 2 patients died of associated abdominal injuries and failure of cerebral resuscitation. The overall survival rate was 96.4%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early diagnosis and prompt thoracotomy are essential to the treatment of penetrating cardiac injuries. Preoperative massive transfusion and pericardiocentesis are not advocated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Chongqing Emergency Medical Center, Chongqing 400014, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000601:surgery*