title: Sternal fractures and delayed cardiac tamponade due to a severe blunt chest trauma.
abstract: Sternal fractures caused by blunt chest trauma are associated with an increased incidence of cardiac injury. Reports of the incidence of cardiac injury associated with sternal fracture range from 18% to 62%. Delayed cardiac tamponade is a rare phenomenon that appears days or weeks after injury. Moreover, after nonpenetrating chest trauma, cardiac tamponade is very rare and occurs in less than 1 of 1000. This case describes a patient who had delayed cardiac tamponade 17 days after a severe blunt chest trauma.
authors.affiliation: Department Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Huai-min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Central Hospital of Guangyuan City, Guangyuan, Sichuan Province 628000, PR China.
authors.forename: Qiu-lin
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Er-yong
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, PR China. Electronic address: humanjia@msn.com.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D011859:Radiography; D013249:Sternum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*