[Increased association of cardiac and thoracic vascular lesions after closed trauma of the thorax].

The association of a cardiac and a thoracic vascular lesion following blunt trauma seems real based on our experience and other published reports. Over the last 4 years, we have operated upon 3 patients with this association. The cardiac lesions included severe myocardial contusion (documented by electrocardiographic and enzymatic changes), a tear of the aortic valve, and occlusion of a coronary artery. The vascular lesions consisted in rupture of the aortic isthmus in 2 patients and traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the innominate artery. This association justifies a detailed cardiovascular evaluation in any case of severe cardiac or thoracic vascular lesion.