What causes myocardial contusion?

A myocardial contusion happens as a result of blunt force trauma. Your heart is well-protected by the bones of your chest, so it takes a lot of force to damage it. The most common causes are: Falling from a height greater than 20 feet.

What is blunt myocardial injury?

Blunt cardiac injury is blunt chest trauma that causes contusion of myocardial muscle, rupture of a cardiac chamber, or disruption of a heart valve. Sometimes a blow to the anterior chest wall causes cardiac arrest without any structural lesion (commotio cordis). (See also Overview of Thoracic Trauma.)

Is contusion a injury?

A contusion is an injury that causes bleeding and tissue damage underneath the skin, usually without breaking the skin. Any injury that puts pressure on an area repetitively can cause a contusion. Falls, blows sustained during fights or from falling objects, and car accidents may also cause bruises.

How is cardiac contusion diagnosed?

Myocardial contusion is a well defined pathological entity following deceleration trauma. Severe contusion results in ventricular dysfunction and malignant arrhythmia. Diagnosis is based on ECG findings. Diagnosis in less severe cases is more difficult.

Why does my heart feel bruised?

A cardiac contusion or “ myocardial contusion ” is a bruised area of heart muscle that is caused by a deceleration injury or blunt trauma to the anterior aspect of the chest wall. By definition, this usually involves a portion of the right ventricle of the heart, although other parts of the heart can be affected.

What are the symptoms of a bruised heart?

The following cardiac contusion signs and symptoms can take place: Bruising of the anterior chest wall. Tenderness and pain in the sternum or anterior aspect of the ribcage. An arrhythmia or racing of the heart. Pain that is worse on deep inspiration. Lightheadedness. Shortness of breath. Weakness.

What is myocardial damage?

Myocardial infarction (MI), also known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to a part of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the shoulder, arm, back, neck or jaw.

What is a heart contusion?

Heart contusion. Also known as Cardiac Contusion and Myocardial Contusion A myocardial contusion is a general term for a contusion (bruise) of the cardiac muscle (heart muscle). It is usually a consequence of blunt trauma to the anterior chest wall, and the right heart is thought to be most commonly affected due to its anatomic location as…