Successful removal of a rivet from the heart of a boy with penetrating cardiac injury: A case report and literature review

Abstract

Introduction Penetrating cardiac injuries generally occur secondary to gunshot or stab wounds and have a high mortality rate. They are rare and often fatal in children. When a foreign object penetrates the myocardium, it is dangerous to remove it, suddenly, and should be removed gradually to prevent excessive bleeding. Case report We report a case of an unusual penetrating cardiac injury in a 12-year-old boy with a rivet pushed into his sternum and penetrating the right ventricle. After the patient underwent sternotomy and pericardiotomy, the site of the rivet was exposed. A purse was then sutured around the rivet and tightened while pulling it out. The patient was discharged five days post-op, with normal echocardiography after 12 months. A review of the English-written literature revealed that this is the first case of heart trauma with rivet.