Myocardial contusion

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Heart, front view

Heart, section through the middle

Myocardial contusion is a "bruise" of the heart muscle, often caused by blunt trauma to the chest following falls, motor vehicle accidents, or cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This can cause abnormal heart movement and "stunning" of the affected area of heart muscle.

In non-severe cases, the bruised part of the heart often regains its function without any permanent scarring.

Blunt myocardial injury

The most common causes are falls from heights greater than 20 feet, motor vehicle accidents (usually the driver due to contact with the steering wheel), or during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Review Date: 05/30/2006
Reviewed By: J.A. Lee, M.D., Division of Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.