Ventricular septal defect secondary to a unique mechanism of blunt trauma: a case report.

We report the case of an adolescent boy who had progressive respiratory distress and cardiovascular compromise after striking his chest against his bicycle handlebars. An echocardiogram in the emergency department revealed a large ventricular septal defect. The boy did well after emergent operative repair and subsequent replacement of a torn tricuspid valve. The characteristics of ventricular septal defects from blunt trauma are briefly discussed.