title: [Retrospective analysis of the patients with penetrating cardiac trauma].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Penetrating cardiac stab wounds are among rarely seen traumas, associated with high mortality. We aimed to present and investigate our experience in such cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen cases with penetrating cardiac stab wounds, between 1993-2001, were investigated retrospectively. Gender, age, conditions at application, injured areas, extent of cardiac damage, accompanying organ damages and outcomes of these patients were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were male with a mean age of 25.38 years (between 16-42 years). Heart was the only affected organ in nine 9 patients, whereas there were additional organ injuries in the remaining patients. The injuries were at left ventricle in 11, right ventricle in 4 and right atrium in three patients. Only two patients survived among 14 patients who developed cardiac arrest. There was additional organ damage in three of the six survivors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall mortality was 66%. Suspect of cardiac injury should be considered in patients who are injured close around cardiac area and one should intervene quickly both in diagnosis and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Haseki Eğitim ve Araştirma Hastanesi, Acil Cerrahi Kliniği, Istanbul, Turkey. soykanarikan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Soykan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arikan
authors.forename: Ahmet Fikret
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Yücel
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kocakuşak
authors.forename: Yildiray
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dadük
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adaş
authors.forename: Mehmet Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Onal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology