title: Spontaneous improvement of a haemodynamically significant ventricular septal defect produced by blunt chest trauma in a child.
abstract: We describe the progress of a girl aged 5 years, who suffered blunt trauma to the chest producing a ventricular septal defect of 1 centimetre in diameter. The shunt generated a mild dilation of the left-sided chambers, and exertional dyspnoea. Three months later, therapeutic catheterisation revealed important diminution in the extent of shunting. We decided, therefore, not to close the defect, and she has since remained asymptomatic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Valle de Hebrón Hospital, Barcelona, Spain. pedrobetrian@yahoo.es
authors.forename: Pedro Betrián
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Blasco
authors.forename: Josep Girona
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Comas
authors.forename: Ricard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: del Alcazar Muñoz
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy