[Cardiac wounds. Experience from 10 years of war. Apropos of 32 cases treated surgically].
Thirty-two patients with cardiac wounds from high velocity firearms (bullets or shrapnel) were operated. Seven of these patients who had no cardiac activity on arrival underwent emergency thoracotomy with a mortality of 85%. The other twenty-five patients underwent planned sternotomy with a mortality of 12%. The authors analyse these case with emphasis on the diagnostic and therapeutic management.
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