title: [Delayed pericardial tamponade following a stab wound to a branch of the right coronary artery].
abstract: A 45-year-old man was attacked with a knife and suffered multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen. After surgical treatment and hospitalization for 9 days he was discharged in a stable condition. The following day he was found dead in his apartment. The autopsy revealed a pericardial tamponade caused by acute bleeding from an injured branch of the right coronary artery. This case shows that life-threatening late complications in patients with penetrating cardiac wounds may occur despite an initially uneventful course.
authors.affiliation: Aus dem Institut für Rechtsmedizin der Universität Hamburg.
authors.forename: Birol
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Püschel
authors.forename: Friedrich
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schulz
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000473:pathology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000473:pathology*; D006097:Granulation Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery