NCJ Number
246626
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2014 Pages: 564-567
Date Published
March 2014
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Chest skeletal injuries are the most frequent complications of external chest massage ECM during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but heart and great vessels lacerations that are indeed very rare.
Abstract
Chest skeletal injuries are the most frequent complications of external chest massage ECM during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but heart and great vessels lacerations that are indeed very rare. We report the case of a 35-year-old workman who collapsed and underwent ECM by his co-workers for almost 30 min. At autopsy, no external injuries, fractures or bruises of the ribs or sternum, were observed. A hemopericardium with a rupture of the heart was found, with no signs of pre-existent cardiac disease. Bruises of thoracic aortic wall, lung petechiae, a contusion of the liver, and bruises of lumbar muscles were found. The cause of death was due to sudden cardiac death with an extensive cardiac rupture. This is an unusual report of massive heart damage without any skeletal or muscle chest injuries, secondary to cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This kind of cardiac lesions may be considered when thoracic-abdominal trauma, or medical history, is unclear. Abstract published by arrangement with Wiley.