TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1989//
TI  - Penetrating wounds to the heart: a wartime experience
JO  - Annals of thoracic surgery
A1  - Jebara, V. A.
A1  - Saadé, B.
SP  - 250
EP  - 253
VL  - 47
IS  - 2
N2  - Forty-nine war casualties with penetrating cardiac wounds were treated at the Hôtel-Dieu de France University Hospital between April 1975 and December 1987. All the wounds were caused by high-velocity missiles. An aggressive approach was utilized. Emergency room thoracotomy was performed in 17 "lifeless" patients, 4 of whom survived. Twenty-seven of the 32 patients who were in stable enough condition to undergo initial repair in the operating room survived. Overall survival was 63% (31/49). No intracardiac injuries were diagnosed in survivors, and no cardiac reoperations were required. Careful analysis of the trajectory of the missile or missiles and a portable chest roentgenogram were the most important factors for diagnosing a penetrating wound to the heart and for predicting potential associated injuries.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0003-4975
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -