Treating cardiac injuries following blunt trauma to the chest requires thorough examination, accurate diagnosis, and therapeutic plan. We present two cases; pulmonary vein rupture and left atrial appendage laceration, both as a result of blunt chest trauma. Through these cases, our team learned the importance of maintaining hemodynamic stability during the examination of injured cardiac structures. And based on the comprehensive cardiac examination, a decision to surgically intervene with median sternotomy via cardiopulmonary bypass was made, saving lives of the patient. This report introduces how such decision was made based on what supporting evidence and the diagnostic process leading to the initiation of surgical intervention. This report may help with decision-making process when confronted by blunt cardiac injury patients who need cardiac exploration.
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The role and timing of cardiopulmonary bypass in the surgical repair of traumatic cardiac injury Mayo Kondo, Shinichi Ijuin, Tomonori Haraguchi, So Izumi, Reiko Kanno, Kazunori Sakaguchi, Kazumasa Edono, Haruki Nakayama, Satoshi Ishihara, Takuro Tsukube General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.2023; 71(10): 561. CrossRef