A case report of cardiac tamponade following blunt chest trauma
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-2902.isj20194464Keywords:
Cardiac tamponade, Blunt chest trauma, EchocardiographyAbstract
Traumatic cardiac tamponade due to blunt chest injury is a life threatening and time-critical emergency that requires early recognition and prompt management often alongside other resuscitative considerations. We present here a case of 25 year old male with history of blunt chest trauma with hypotension and raised central pressures. The patient was taken up for exploratory laparotomy which proved negative and the central tendon bulge of diaphragm was seen. Hence, the decision was made to examine the pericardial space via thoracotomy to find cardiac tamponade of 400 cc. Immediate intra- operative stabilization of vitals was seen on relieving the intra pericardial pressures. Any patient with severe blunt chest trauma, disproportionate hypotension that is not responding to fluid resuscitation along with elevated central venous pressures should be thoroughly evaluated for cardiac tamponade.
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