Citation

Calzone MR, Grossman MD. JAAPA 2024; 37(2): 35-38.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, American Academy of Physicians Assistants)

DOI

10.1097/01.JAA.0000997692.54661.95

PMID

38270655

Abstract

Blunt cardiac injury (BCI) describes a spectrum of problems including severe, potentially life-threatening injuries from trauma. Pericardial effusion is an example of a BCI that has generally been assumed to imply serious underlying injury to the heart and should be considered hemopericardium until proven otherwise. A standard of care has been established to screen for BCI and treat hemodynamically unstable patients with an acute pericardial effusion presumably related to BCI. Less agreement exists on definitive treatment for hemodynamically stable patients with pericardial effusion after blunt cardiac trauma. This case study explores a new treatment for small to moderate hemopericardium in a stable patient after BCI.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; *Myocardial Contusions; *Pericardial Effusion/diagnosis/etiology/therapy; *Wounds, Nonpenetrating/complications; Patients