title: Acute coronary occlusion and myocardial infarction secondary to blunt chest trauma from an automobile airbag deployment.
abstract: Automobile airbags have been universally installed to save lives in motor vehicle accidents, but have also been linked with facial and thoracic burns and chest trauma during rapid deployment. Blunt trauma to the chest may result in electrical and mechanical injuries to the heart and great vessels. We report a case of a 19-year-old man who presented with acute myocardial infarction following a blunt chest trauma from an automobile airbag deployment. Although mechanical complications resulting from airbag injury have been reported in the past, this is the first report of an acute thrombotic coronary occlusion triggered by the rapid airbag deployment. The case underscores the importance of systematic clinical evaluation to guide management in patients with confounding clinical presentation.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zajarias
authors.forename: Srihari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thanigaraj
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taniuchi
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D017278:Air Bags / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D023903:Coronary Restenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000209:etiology*