title: A penetrating heart injury resulting in ventricular septal defect.
abstract: Penetrating heart injuries can be lethal. Here we report a case of self-inflicted cardiac injury with glass fragments by a psychiatric patient. The patient presented with cardiogenic shock and was initially treated surgically for a large pneumothorax and cardiac tamponade. A few days later she presented with dyspnoea and hypotension. An echo-Doppler study was performed and an acquired post-traumatic ventricular septal defect (VSD) with left-to-right shunt was diagnosed. The patient was transferred to theatre where the defect was successfully repaired. Post-traumatic VSD is a rare complication of penetrating heart injuries and has a tendency to present late. Follow up of such cases is recommended with repeat echocardiography.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Nicosia General Hospital, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Loizos
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Antoniades
authors.forename: Petros M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Petrou
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eftychiou
authors.forename: Evagoras
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nicolaides
mesh_terms: D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology