Successful Repair of Right Ventricular Rupture Due to Blunt Trauma

Successful repair of a blunt traumatic rupture of the right ventricle due to a fall is reported. The patient was a 58-year-old carpenter who fell from a height. Though he was in shock on arrival at our emergency room, bilateral dilatation of the jugular veins and a paradoxical pulse strongly suggested the presence of cardiac tamponade. Echocardiography, performed immediately, revealed pericardial effusion. The diagnosis of traumatic rupture of the right ventricle was established within eight minutes of arrival. The rupture was repaired without cardio-pulmonary bypass via a midsternal thoracotomy. We conclude that awareness and prompt recognition are important factors in saving the life of a patient with cardiac rupture.