NONLETHAL PENETRATING CARDIAC INJURY FROM A CROSSBOW HOLT

Crossbow injuries to the thorax are nowadays uncommon. The type of arr owhead used determines not only the form of entrance wound but often t he outcome of these injuries. We report the case of a 38-year-old man who attempted to commit suicide by firing a bolt from a sport crossbow into his heart. Although the bolt penetrated the mediastinum causing a deep intraseptal myocardial lesion and the pre-operative diagnostic procedure delayed the necessary operation, the patient survived.