Predictors of mortality in penetrating cardiac injury.

Abstract

Forty-eight cases of penetrating cardiac trauma seen at the Medical University of South Carolina between 1979 and the present were reviewed retrospectively. Age, race, sex, Champion trauma score, cardiac chamber injured, associated injuries, weapon, circumstances, and means of transport were recorded and analyzed to define predictors of mortality. Overall mortality was 56 per cent. The median trauma score of survivors was significantly higher than the median trauma score of nonsurvivors, P = 0.0001. The median age of survivors was significantly lower than the median age of nonsurvivors, P = 0.046. Sex, race, the chamber injured, weapon, circumstances, and mode of transport were not significantly different between survivors and nonsurvivors. Survival did not change significantly during the study period. Mortality compares favorably with that of other series.