Background: Penetrating cardiac stab wounds are among rarely seen traumas, associated with high mortality. We aimed to present and investigate our experience in such cases.
Methods: Eighteen cases with penetrating cardiac stab wounds, between 1993-2001, were investigated retrospectively.
Gender, age, conditions at application, injured areas, extent of cardiac damage, accompanying organ damages and outcomes of these patients were studied.
Results: All patients were male with a mean age of 25.38 years (between 16-42 years). Heart was the only affected organ in nine 9 patients, whereas there were additional organ injuries in the remaining patients. The injuries were at left ventricle in 11, right ventricle in 4 and right atrium in three patients. Only two patients survived among 14 patients who developed cardiac arrest. There was additional organ damage in three of the six survivors.
Conclusion: The overall mortality was 66%. Suspect of cardiac injury should be considered in patients who are injured close around cardiac area and one should intervene quickly both in diagnosis and treatment.