This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Matthews, A. J. Articles by Baum, V. C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Matthews, A. J. Articles by Baum, V. C. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Cardiac Trauma (Penetrating and Blunt) and Anesthetic Issues

Victor C. Baum, MD

Departments of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics, and the CardiovascularResearch Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

Patients with blunt or penetrating trauma can require anesthesia and surgery for cardiac injury in the face of noncardiac trauma, or can require anesthesia and surgery for noncardiac injury in the face of cardiac trauma. The true incidence of blunt cardiac trauma is not known, and estimates vary widely with different diagnostic criteria. The diagnosis of traumatic cardiac injury, particularly bluntcardiac injury, may be difficult even with a wealth of available diagnostic tools. Both blunt and penetrating trauma can result is a variety of injuries to cardiac structures. Manifestations of acute traumatic cardiac injury can differ from the clinical manifestations ofsimilar defects in the chronic setting on physical examination, radiography, and in symptomatology. There may be sequelae of traumatic injury which persist, or which may not become apparent for some period of time. Inexpensive, easily-interpreted laboratory criteria for reliably diagnosing cardiac trauma remain. Preexisting cardiacdisease and acute myocardial injury can complicate appropriate resuscitation from massive noncardiac injury. In general, and if unassociated with major noncardiac injuries, patients with cardiac injury be managed with low perioperative mortality.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?