Stroke Complicating Traumatic Ventricular Septal Defect

• Published in: The Journal of emergency medicine Vol. 43; no. 6; pp. 987 - 988
• Main Authors: de Bruin, Gabriela, MD, Pereira da Silva, Ricardo, MD, PhD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-12-2012
• Subjects: Adult; embolic; Emergency; Heart Ventricles - injuries; Humans; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery - complications; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery - diagnostic imaging; Male; stab wound; stroke; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; traumatic; VSD; Wounds, Stab - complications; traumatic; stab wound; stroke; VSD; embolic
• ISSN: 0736-4679; 2352-5029
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2011.03.013

Abstract Background Traumatic ventricular septal defect (VSD) occurs in approximately 5% of blunt or penetrating cardiac injuries and can result in rare complications. Objectives To report the serious complication of stroke after a traumatic VSD. Case report A 27-year-old man with no previous medical history presented to the Emergency Department with aphasia and right hemiparesis after a stab wound to the chest. He underwent emergent evacuation of a pericardial effusion and repair of a right ventricular wall perforation. Head computed tomography revealed left middle cerebral artery infarct. Post-operatively, he was noted to have a cardiac murmur, and echocardiogram revealed a VSD. The VSD was surgically repaired without complication. Conclusion Stroke can complicate traumatic VSDs.