Penetrating and blunt injuries of the heart – an abdominal surgeon’s personal experience in Serbia

Abstract

Introduction In the world with constantly increasing incidence of violence and trauma on one side, and more and more specialized surgeons on the other, the question about the role of abdominal surgeons in cardiac trauma emerges. The objective of this article is to show personal experience of an abdominal surgeon in managing heart trauma.

Outlines of cases We present two penetrating injuries and one blunt trauma of the heart successfully managed by an abdominal surgeon.

Conclusion Abdominal surgeons should feel comfortable with the decision to operate on greatly physiologically deranged patients with penetrating chest trauma, and not to delay the operation with conservative measures or with time-consuming transport to remote specialized facilities, since that could lead to greater death percentage of these patients.

Keywords: heart trauma; penetrating wound; abdominal surgeon