Delayed acute cardiac tamponade after blunt chest trauma: A case report

Abstract

We encountered a case of delayed cardiac tamponade after blunt thoracic injury. Furthermore, the patient developed pericarditis due to postpericardiotomy syndrome.

A 34-year-old man fell from a height of 80 cm during work. He was diagnosed with multiple rib fractures and mild hemopneumothorax, and chest drainage was performed. When we removed the drain on day 4 after injury, cardiac tamponade developed. We performed urgent open heart surgery. We diagnosed injuries of the cardiac sac and epicardium caused by the fractured ribs, and repaired them.

He showed postpericardiotomy syndrome on day 23 after the primary operation. Thus, we performed fenestration of the cardiac sac. Inflammation was improved when we administered an antiphlogistic analgetic postoperatively.

We report this case, which followed an interesting course after blunt chest trauma.