Pericardial rupture without cardiac injury or herniation

Pericardial rupture following blunt chest trauma is rare and are usually observed intraoperatively or at autopsy. Such cases if encountered in triage warrants emergency and prompt initiative as the complication like cardiac herniation are life threatening. Cardiac herniation itself may lead to torsion of great vessels and subsequently decreased cardiac output. Mortality rate is high, probably because of other associated polytrauma. Here by we are presenting a case of fall from height of a 46 years old male who was declared brought dead on arrival at the hospital. Autopsy revealed left sided pericardial rupture without cardiac injury or herniation. The clinical presentation, complications, issues related to diagnosis, and autopsy findings will be discussed in the case.