Penetrating cardiac injuries: a 13-year retrospective evaluation from a Brazilian trauma center.
To present our experience with penetrating cardiac injuries. We have retrospectively reviewed the records of 70 victims of penetrating cardiac injuries. A logistic regression has been performed in order to determine the association between death and clinical predictors. Penetrating injuries consisted of 43 stab wounds (61.4%) and 27 (38.6%) gunshot injuries (P=0.72). There were 63 (90%) male and 7 female (10%, P<0.001) victims. The mean age was 27.36+/-11.51, ranging from 3 to 65 years. The overall mortality was 32.9%, 47.8% for gunshot wounds and 52.2% for stab wounds (P=0.266). Eight victims (11.4%) had associated intra-thoracic great vessel injuries and 17 (24.3%) presented associated intra-abdominal organ injuries. The incidence of injured chamber was: right ventricle 37.1%, right atrium 27.1%, left ventricle 25.7%, and left atrium 5.7%. Non-survivors had lower systolic blood pressure (37.50+/-39.18 mmHg) than survivors (79.04+/-41.04 mmHg; P<0.001) upon arrival at the hospital. Thirteen non-survival (56.5%) and 10 (21.3%) survival victims had systolic blood pressure (SBP) <or=50 mmHg (P=0.001). The level of systolic blood pressure (SBP<or=50 mmHg) and consciousness upon arrival at the hospital are predictors of outcome in victims of penetrating cardiac injuries.
Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. alfredo@fmrp.usp.br
Alfredo J
AJ
Rodrigues
Luciano Lopes
LL
Furlanetti
Gabriel Bijos
GB
Faidiga
Sandro
S
Scarpelini
Paulo Roberto
PR
Barbosa Evora
Walter Villela
WV
de Andrade Vicente