Abstract
Transient right bundle branch block following blunt cardiac injury is a known but under-recognized manifestation of cardiac contusion. The first case documented in the medical literature occurred in 1952 in a 22-year-old man who was thrown from a motorcycle. Due to their relatively anterior location, the right ventricle and right bundle branch are at particular risk of injury in contusion. We present here a case in which a 24-year-old man suffered a blunt chest trauma leading to a right bundle branch block and elevated troponin levels, consistent with cardiac contusion. His conduction system abnormalities rapidly resolved and he recovered completely, with no clinical sequelae.<Learning objective: Cardiac contusion is a heterogeneous syndrome with widely variable clinical manifestations and severity. Transient right bundle branch block has been described as a self-limited and benign manifestation of cardiac contusion. This case highlights the need for a better understanding of the natural history and predictors of serious complications of cardiac contusion, which can aid in determining appropriate diagnostic studies, risk stratification, and treatment.>.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 121-124 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Journal of Cardiology Cases |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Apr 2016 |
Keywords
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Cardiac contusion
- Right bundle branch block
- Troponin