title: Incomplete ventricular septal rupture following blunt chest trauma--a case report.
abstract: This report describes a case of traumatic incomplete rupture of the ventricular septum, a rare complication caused by blunt chest trauma. Although a serial ECG progressed its course similar to acute anteroseptal myocardial infarction in this case, there was little clinical clue of septal tear. The diagnosis was established by transthoracic echocardiography. The authors chose a conservative line of management rather than surgical repair for incomplete septal rupture because of the patent's stable clinical course and hemodynamic status. A sequence of echocardiography during a 32-day stay in the hospital showed no change in the extent of incomplete septal rupture, septal structure, systolic function, and shape of left ventricle and also obtained no evidence of shunting through the rupture. In conclusion, echocardiography is a useful investigation to make a diagnosis as well as for follow-up in case of incomplete ventricular septal rupture. A close follow-up of incomplete septal rupture with serial echocardiography should be performed, because several cases of delayed ventricular septal rupture following blunt chest trauma have been reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan. kashima@qc4.so-net.ne.jp
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kashima
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.forename: Uichi
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yajima
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Urayama
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwashita
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sekiguchi
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akita
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Kazufumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamoto
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001510:Bed Rest; D004452:Echocardiography; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000293:injuries; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018658:Ventricular Septal Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents