The problem: A young man who was stabbed in the chest was taken to a hospital. T
ID: 3506118 • Letter: T
Question
The problem: A young man who was stabbed in the chest was taken to a hospital. The stab wound was in the third left intercostal space, just lateral to the sternum. The ER physician noticed that the veins in his face and neck were engorged (excessivel,y filled with blood). A diagnosis of hemopericardium and cardiac tamponade was made. 1. What vital structures were probably injured? 2. What is hemopericardium? 3. What is cardiac tamponade? 4. How do you explain the engorgement of his cervical and facial veins? 5. What emergency clinical procedure would probably be done before he was taken to the operating room?Explanation / Answer
1. Structures of heart and lungs would be injured. However primarily aortic valve would be injured as it is present in third left intercostal space.
2. Haemopericardium refers to the blood in the pericardial sac of the heart.
3. Cardiac tamponade is the compression of heart caused by fluid collecting in the sac surrounding the heart. This is caused as a result of excess haemopericardium.
4. Primarily the man's pericardium was penetrated due to which the blood does not enter the heart. Also, the rupture of aortic valve causes the blood to constatconbe pumped out of the heart. This build up of blood in veins causes engorgement.
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