title: Rupture of the tricuspid valve due to smashing the chest into the steering wheel.
abstract: A 32-year-old man was urgently referred to our hospital with severe tricuspid insufficiency following a car accident. The completely flail anterior leaflet, due to the rupture of the papillary muscles, was revealed by a two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. In the operation, we also detected a tear on the anterior leaflet and the rupture of numerous chordae tendineae of the other leaflets. Valve repair was not considered feasible, therefore the tricuspid valve was replaced with a 31 mm mechanical prosthesis. The patient's recovery from surgery was uneventful, and he was discharged on the seventh postoperative day.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Ozel Ege Hospital, Denizli, Turkey. drkaykut@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Koray
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aykut
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Unal
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Acıkel
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000293:injuries; D014262:Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery