The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 56, 1172-1174, Copyright © 1993 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Surgical repair of atrial septal rupture due to blunt trauma
BP Jenson, I Hoffman, FM Follis, LC Kuo and JA Wernly
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque 87131.
We report a case of atrial septal rupture and surgical cure after blunt
chest trauma. Review of the literature indicates that this rare lesion
results from severe forces applied to the chest and is often associated
with other serious and life-threatening injuries. The defect may not be
recognized for several months or even years in patients who survive
concomitant initial trauma. When operative repair is undertaken, a
favorable outcome can be anticipated.