Saving the life of an 8-year-old child whose pericardium was pierced by scissors

On the afternoon of May 31, news from Can Tho General Hospital (BVĐK) said that the hospital's doctors had just saved the life of an 8-year-old patient (residing in Tam Binh District, Vinh Long) who had been stabbed with scissors and had his pericardium pierced.

According to initial information from the patient's family, the child was stabbed with scissors by a mentally ill neighbor that same morning. Immediately afterward, the family took the child to the emergency room at Can Tho General Hospital in critical condition. The patient was agitated, had pale skin and mucous membranes, a rapid pulse of 150, and low blood pressure of 80/60mmHg.

The child's health has gradually improved after timely emergency surgery.

Doctors performed emergency resuscitation, then performed an echocardiogram and discovered pericardial effusion. A chest CT scan showed pericardial effusion. After urgent consultation, the patient was scheduled for emergency surgery with a diagnosis of acute cardiac tamponade to monitor the heart wound.

The surgical team opened the patient's left chest into the pleural cavity and found that the pericardium was tense and filled with about 300 ml of diluted blood and clots. The doctors removed all the diluted blood and clots from the pericardial cavity. The team continued to explore and recorded a wound that penetrated the pericardium from front to back, severed the left internal thoracic artery, and scratched the right ventricle's serosa. The doctors treated the internal thoracic artery by suturing and tying it, stopping the bleeding before placing a drain and closing the chest.

According to doctors, this is a severe case of cardiac tamponade, and if not treated promptly, it will be difficult to save the child's life. Currently, after surgery, the child's condition has gradually improved.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/cuu-song-benh-nhi-8-tuoi-bi-keo-dam-thung-mang-tim-185230531185538814.htm