VSD following blunt cardiac trauma: MRI findings

In this report, we describe the clinical and radiographic findings of ventricular septal defects (VSDs) following blunt cardiac trauma in two patients. VSDs following either penetrating or blunt cardiac trauma are a rare occurrence. The variable presentation and timing of symptom onset along with the common association of other injuries can make the diagnosis of a posttraumatic VSD difficult. Therefore, investigation should be initiated when elements from the history and physical examination (e.g., new onset murmur), laboratory tests (e.g., cardiac enzymes), EKG, and CT or echocardiography warrant it. The first patient was a 19-year-old male who was hemodynamically stable on initial presentation to this trauma center after a motor vehicle collision. A posttraumatic VSD was found by echocardiography on the day of admission and further defined on cardiac MRI (CMRI). The second patient was a 31-year-oid male who presented after a high-speed motorcycle accident and was found to have a VSD 40 days later on CMRI after a fluctuating clinical course and multiple normal echocardiograms. Both patients had good outcomes with subsequent surgical closure.