Chest Injury with Intramyocardiac Haematoma

Overview

The authors present the case-history of a young man after a car crash who developed duringcontusion of the chest with indirect heart injury an intramural haematoma in the lateral wallof the left ventricle with subsequent manifestations of electric instability of the ventricles, witha favourable effect of long-term administration of antiarrhythmic drugs with a combined effect.During an eight-year follow-up period no attack of tachyarrhythmia was recorded and leftventricular dysfunction did not develop. Using diagnostic imaging methods (echocardiography,magnetic resonance and isotope examination of the heart muscle) the authors diagnoseda gradually organizing intramural haematomaand determined it site and the extent of affectionof the cardiac musculature. According to available data in the literature this is a very rarefinding and the first described case where the organization of a haematoma was manifested bymalignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias.

Key words:
chest injury - intramyocardial haematoma - echocardiography - magnetic resonance- isotope examination of the heart muscle - case-record.