Impalement injury of the thorax: report of a case.

We report herein the case of a 33-year-old man who survived an impalement injury of the thorax involving the heart, esophagus, and spinal cord. The patient was transported to our hospital with the impalement object left in situ and it was extracted under cardiopulmonary bypass in an operating room. The important principles of surgical management contributing to the successful outcome of such patients are discussed following the presentation of this case.