So, you want to know about heart trauma?

So, you want to know about heart trauma? Let's go!

🔻If the heart is in asystole, then repair is obviously quite easy.

🔻However, if there is an organized cardiac rhythm, you will need to gently stabilize the heart in order to perform the repair.

🔻You should be able to fix most cardiac injuries with a simple interrupted suture repair.

🔻You do not need to use pledgets during the initial repair, but if the tissue tears during repair, you may consider adding pledgets to reinforce the repair.

🔻You may also use a running stitch, figure-of-eight, or horizontal mattress.

🔻If the cardiac wound is approximate to a coronary artery, you may need to alter your approach.

🔻If the injury is near a distal coronary artery, then a repair that ligates the artery.