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Table 1 Summary of reported cases of coronary artery rupture in blunt thoracic trauma

From: Coronary artery rupture in blunt thoracic trauma: a case report and review of literature

Reference

Age & gender

Mechanism of injury

Diagnosis

Presentation

Artery involved

Associated cardiac injuries

Pericardial defect

Coronary artery disease

Management

Time windowa

Outcome

Goffin et al. 1974 [11].

62 M

MVC

Autopsy

Dyspnea, chest pain, shock.

CXR: Multiple rib fractures. Slight enlargement of the heart.

ECG changes of inf. MI and AV block.

Moderately elevated CPK and SGOT.

RCA

Aortic tear. Intimal tear in LCX

Present

Present

Pericardiocentesis (failed)

9.5 h

Died

Trotter et al. 1998 [9].

15 M

MVC

Intraop.

Chest wall contusion. Continuous murmur. Initially stable vital signs, then worsening dyspnea and cardiogenic shock.

CXR: widened cardiac silhouette. RBB on ECG.

RCA

Tricuspid valve

Present

N/Ab

ACB

8 h

Survived

Suzuki et al. 2000 [6].

59 M

FD

Autopsy

Severe dyspnea and chest pain 14 h after the incident. CXR: fractures of left 7th and 8th ribs with left pleural effusion.

LAD

None

Present

N/Ab

None

17 h

Died

Dimopoulos et al. 2003 [16].

78 F

FD

Autopsy

Anemia. Massive left pleural effusion on CXR.

Atrial fibrillation and LBBB. Echocardiogram: 700 ml of pericardial effusion with normal ejection fraction.

ICA

None

N/Ab

N/Ab

None

N/A

Died

Straub et al. 2003 [10].

71 M

FD

Intraop.

No visible chest wall lesions. Cardiogenic shock.

CXR: normal. Elevated cardiac enzymes.

Echocardiography: pericardial effusion, no wall motion disturbances. CT scan: hemorrhagic pericardial effusion and para-aortic contrast fluid extravasation.

RCA

None

None

Present

OPCAB

14 h

Died

Sugimoto et al. 2003 [17].

34 M

MVC

Intraop.

Unconscious and in severe shock.

Echocardiogram: massive hemopericardium.

RCA

None

N/Ab

N/Ab

ER thoracotomy with attempted ligation of the RCA. Interval ACB three weeks later.

No delay

Survived

Dueholm et al. 2009 [12].

44 M

MVC

Autopsy

Chest pain. Normal exam.

ECG: Acute MI. CXR: Fractures in left 6th and 7th ribs.

Arrhythmia, followed by cardiogenic shock.

RCA

None

N/Ab

Present

None.

56 h

Died

Tyson et al. 2010 [7].

69 M

MVC

Intraop.

Breath sounds decreased on the left. CXR: left hemothorax and widened mediastinum. CT scan: minimal pericardial fluid. Fractures in left 2nd -7th ribs. Tube thoracostomy drained 2 L of blood.

OM

Posterior cardiac vein

Present

N/Ab

Anterolateral thoracotomy and ligation of bleeding vessels.

2 h

Survived

Burcar et al. 2013 [18].

15 M

MVC

Intraop.

Chest wall hematomas. GCS 5/15. Hypotension. ST segment depression. Troponin I & CPK elevation. Bilateral lung contusions on CT scan.

LM

Intimal tear in MPA

N/Ab

N/Ab

Sternotomy.

Pericardiotomy. LIMA to LAD. SVG to LCX.

N/A

Died

  1. MVC motor vehicle collision, FD falling down, LAD left anterior descending artery, RCA right coronary artery, LCX circumflex artery, ICM intermediate coronary artery, OM obtuse marginal artery, LM left main coronary artery, MPA main pulmonary artery, ACB aortocoronary bypass, OPCAB off pump coronary artery bypass, LIMA left internal mammary artery, SVG saphenous vein graft
  2. aTime window between injury and intervention or death
  3. bNo explicit information about the finding was provided in the case report