Cardial gunshot injury: treatment in a trauma hospital without a cardiac unit.

Gunshot injuries to the chest often require urgent admission to the nearest hospital, because of the cardiorespiratory status, transfer to a hospital without a cardiothoracic unit might be unsafe. In this case, a male patient was transferred to the nearest hospital on being shot through the heart. On admission, he was in shock, and immediate surgery was performed. We report our treatment regime for thoracic injuries and the specific management of this patient. We conclude that every hospital with an accident and emergency department has to be prepared for such an injury and that operative management is possible without cardiopulmonary bypass.