Rupture of the right upper pulmonary vein and left atrium caused by blunt chest trauma

Abstract

A 49-year-old man was transferred to our hospital by ambulance due to blunt chest trauma sustained in a car accident. Echocardiography and enhanced computed tomography showed hemopericardium without other vital organ damage. Emergent surgery was performed under strong suspicion of traumatic cardiac rupture. Careful inspection showed a rupture of the right upper pulmonary vein at the junction of the left atrium, a laceration of the inferior vena cava, and a left-side pericardium rupture, and they were repaired with running 4-0 polypropylene suture. Postoperative hemodynamics were stable. The patient was discharged ambulatory on postoperative day 15.

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Correspondence to Motoo Osaka.

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Osaka, M., Nagai, R. & Koishizawa, T. Rupture of the right upper pulmonary vein and left atrium caused by blunt chest trauma. Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 65, 646–649 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11748-017-0749-1

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Keywords

  • Blunt chest trauma
  • Pulmonary vein
  • Rupture
  • Cardiac rupture