title: Left atrial rupture due to blunt thoracic trauma.
abstract: Blunt traumatic cardiac rupture is rare and associated with high mortality. The most popular theory of cardiac rupture after blunt thoracic trauma is rapid deceleration with disruption of the atria from their connections to the vena cava and pulmonary veins. In cases with both massive hemothorax and hemopericardium, injury can usually originate from the heart and/or major vessels. Surgical approach through the median sternotomy can provide convenience to repair the defect. In this article, successful treatment with median sternotomy of a 33-year-old male case with a rupture of the left atrium after blunt thoracic trauma was reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gaziosmanpasa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: İlker
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Akar
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gaziosmanpasa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: İlker
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: İnce
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gaziosmanpasa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cemal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gaziosmanpasa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Çeber
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Tokat State Hospital, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: İlker
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Kaya
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000293:injuries*; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D056346:Sternotomy; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery