Cardiac tamponade associated with delayed ascending aortic perforation after blunt chest trauma: a case report

BACKGROUND: Cardiac tamponade due to aortic injury after blunt trauma is a rare and potentially fatal injury. Most aortic injuries caused by blunt trauma present as aortic dissection or rupture of the aortic isthmus. Several cases of delayed aortic injury have been reported. However, all of these injuries were observed in the descending aorta because they had been caused by a posterior rib fracture. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the first case of cardiac tamponade associated with delayed ascending aortic perforation 2 weeks after blunt trauma. The patient was an 81-year-old man. CONCLUSION: In cases of blunt chest trauma, delayed ascending aortic injury causing cardiac tamponade is possible associated with various causes such as direct injury by fractured rib or delayed aortic perforation of initial blunt injury.