Penetrating Wound of the Heart: A Report of Three Cases

심장관통자상의 응급수술 치험 3례

Three patients who sustained penetrating stab wound of the heart have been treated successfully by emergency thoracotomy in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Chonnam University Hospital. There were two knife and one glass wound. The location of the injury were all on the right ventricle, but in one patient, it was penetrated to ventricular septum. All patients were in shock with a systolic pressure under 60 mmHg when admitted to the emergency room. In one of the three patients, blood pressure was not detectable and subsequently cardiac arrest. Two patients required immediate thoracotomy because of intrathoracic hemorrhage and increased pericardial tamponade and the other one required prompt thoracotomy because of sudden onset of cardiac arrest. There were no death postoperatively. Two patients are living without any complication in 4 years and 4 weeks after operation. One who had penetrating wound to ventricular septum, turned to cardiac decompensation, but he is living now in 4$\frac{1}{2}$ years after operation. Exploratory thoracotomy should be performed immediately in all the patients in whom a penetrating wound of the heart or pericardial tamponade following a penetrating wound of the chest wall is suspected.