What does this research mean for the field?

In a study of six cardiac injury cases, overall mortality was 33.3%, with the right ventricle being affected in 66% of patients. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To describe surgical management and outcomes of six cases of cardiac injuries over a ten-year period at Fann National University Hospital.

January 25, 2026Open Access

Cardiac Injuries: Experience with Six Cases at Fann National University Hospital

Key Result

In a study of six cardiac injury cases, overall mortality was 33.3%, with the right ventricle being affected in 66% of patients.

Key Points

To describe surgical management and outcomes of six cases of cardiac injuries over a ten-year period at Fann National University Hospital.
Retrospective, descriptive, and analytical study design over ten years (2014–2024)
Inclusion of patients operated on for cardiac or great vessel injuries
Evaluation of hemodynamic status and imaging techniques used in patient assessment
Surgical interventions included median sternotomy and cardiomyorrhaphy
Six cases identified, predominantly affecting males aged around 22 years
Common causes of injury were interpersonal violence and assaults
Significant hemodynamic instability was present in four cases, with two experiencing cardiac tamponade
Postoperative outcomes were generally favorable for four patients; however, complications included seizures and septic shock
Overall mortality rate noted was 33.3%

Structured PICO

Population

6 patients operated on for cardiac or great vessel injuries, mean age 21.8 years, 5 males and 1 female, at Fann University Hospital in Senegal.

Intervention

Surgical management (median sternotomy, cardiomyorrhaphy, epicardial closure, or aortic root repair)

Outcome

Clinical presentation, diagnostic modalities, surgical management, and outcomes (including mortality and complications)hard clinical

Penetrating cardiac injuries are rare but highly lethal emergencies predominantly affecting young males, requiring rapid diagnosis and urgent surgical intervention via median sternotomy.

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 0% vs 0%

Abstract

Cardiac injuries correspond to a disruption of the continuity of the cardiac layers caused by a penetrating mechanism, with or without loss of tissue; they are considered penetrating when they extend beyond the parietal pericardium. These lesions most frequently occur following penetrating chest trauma but may also complicate blunt trauma through myocardial contusion, occasionally leading to tears, ruptures of the cardiac walls, or valvular damage. Penetrating cardiac trauma represents one of the most severe forms of thoracic injury, with high mortality despite specialized management. We report a retrospective, descriptive, and analytical study conducted over a ten-year period (2014–2024) in the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Department of Fann University Hospital in Senegal, including all patients operated on for cardiac or great vessel injuries. Six cases were identified, with a male predominance (sex ratio 5:1) and a mean age of 22 years. Most injuries resulted from interpersonal violence and assaults. Four patients presented with hemodynamic instability on admission, including two with cardiac tamponade. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed in five patients, chest radiography and CT scanning were used in two cases. All patients underwent median sternotomy. The right ventricle was the most frequently affected structure (66%), requiring cardiomyorraphy. Postoperative outcomes were uneventful in four patients, whereas one case of seizures and one septic shock were reported. Overall mortality was 33.3%. Cardiac injuries remain rare but severe events, predominantly affecting young individuals; their diagnosis relies primarily on clinical evaluation supported by echocardiography, and their management is surgical, usually without extracorporeal circulation, with a prognosis still marked by significant mortality. Our objective is to describe the experience in the surgical management of six cases of cardiac injuries treated at Fann National University Hospital over a ten-year period.

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