Penetrating cardiac injuries - current evaluation and management of the stable patient

Patients with penetrating cardiac injuries present in a stable or only mild ly shocked condition - especially if the laceration has sealed off and the patient has been adequately resuscitated. A large proportion of patients pr esenting to our unit are in a reasonably stable condition after resuscitati on, and rapid diagnosis may be difficult. We present our experience over a 5-year period (191 patients), with particular reference to the stable patie nt. All patients with penetrating precordial wounds should be assessed for a possible cardiac injury, especially if a period of hypotension has occurr ed. Clinical signs, central venous pressure, chest radiograph, pericardioce ntesis and subxiphoid window are not always helpful in the diagnosis. Cardi ac ultrasound is very useful (in the absence of haemothorax), and was perfo rmed in 103 of 191 patients, with 8 false-negatives and 3 false-positives. When an unstable patient presents with an obvious diagnosis use of cardiac ultrasound should be restricted. A subxiphoid window has diagnostic value w here the cardiac ultrasound is inconclusive.