Levine A J, Collins F J
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, UK.
J Accid Emerg Med. 1995 Mar;12(1):55-6. doi: 10.1136/emj.12.1.55.
A 28-year-old man presented with left chest, head and limb injuries following a road traffic accident (RTA). Increasing haemodynamic instability necessitated an emergency left thoracotomy at which a complete rupture of the pericardium and herniation of the heart was found. After repair, the patient made an uneventful post-operative recovery. The aetiology, investigation and management of this rare injury is discussed.