Cardiac damage due to nonpenetrating trauma. Report of four cases.

Four examples of cardiac damage secondary to nonpenetrating trauma in road accidents are described. Two patients had interventricular septal defect and other two had tricuspid insufficiency. In all four cases the lesion was not recognized at the time of the accident but became clinically important later. The time interval between trauma and surgery was one month to thirteen years. After surgical treatment, all four patients have continued to be asymptomatic.