Penetrating cardiac injuries

In the past 6 years 65 patients with penetrating wounds of the heart have been operated upon. The mortality was 13% in 47 patients with stab wounds and 50% in 18 patients with gunshot wounds. Fifty-eight consecutive patients in whom a cardiac wound was suspected were operated upon immediately, with a survival rate of 84.5%. It is proposed that pericardiocentesis should be utilized only for diagnosis and that immediate thoracotomy should be the definitive treatment for penetrating wounds of the heart.