Cardiac Changes in Hospitalized Patients of Trauma

Modern clinical management of the patients sustaining traumatic injuries and thermal burns has resulted in their longer survival, but the clinical and pathological effects of these traumatic injuries over the myocardium have been largely neglected. It is speculated that certain factors such as the inflammatory and degenerative lesions of the heart, prolonged clinical course, and the subsequent stress and strain may play role in hastening the death. In the present study, 125 hospitalized cases of traumatic injuries and thermal burns brought for medicolegal autopsy were examined, with the purpose to find out the incidence, its significance, and the extent of the myocardial lesions due to stress and strain following trauma. About 20% patients had myocardial lesions recognized at gross and histological examination at autopsy. A myocardial lesion does develop in the cases of traumatic injuries and thermal burns. No significant sex difference is seen in the cases showing positive myocardial lesions. However, a relationship exists between these myocardial lesions and the after-effects developing in the cases of trauma. These myocardial lesions seen in the cases of traumatic injuries can be termed as early ischemic or anoxic lesions in the absence of any specific coronary pathology. The intensity of myocardial lesions increases with increase in the survival period of the patient. The findings in the study support the concept of human stress cardiomyopathy and demonstrate the potential significance of stress in precipitating death.