Myocardial contusion

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Heart, front view

Heart, section through the middle

Blunt myocardial injury

Pain in the breastbone (sternum) alerts the physician that an injury may have been sustained. Usually there are no symptoms other than a feeling that one's heart is racing.

The signs, which are noted on electrocardiogram (ECG), are (in order of frequency) sinus tachycardia, right bundle branch block, ventricular dysrhythmia.

Additionally, an echocardiogram may reveal abnormalities in the ability of the ventricle to contract (wall motion abnormalities)

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.