title: Late presentation of aorto-right ventricular fistula and associated aortic regurgitation following penetrating chest trauma.
abstract: We present a case in which a 39-year-old man was assaulted in 2002 and sustained penetrating chest trauma. He was treated conservatively, and presented six years later with exertional dyspnoea and a continuous murmur. Echocardiography detected an aorta-right ventricular fistula and an important aortic regurgitation. The aorta-right ventricular fistula was repaired and the aortic valve was replaced with a mechanical prosthesis. Traumatic aorto-right ventricular fistulas and aortic regurgitation are often masked by the primary injury and may take months or years to become clinically evident.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Universitas Hospital, Bloemfontein, South Africa. jptt@cybersmart.co.za
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Theron
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Du Theron
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Marx
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology*; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D016157:Vascular Fistula / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery