Successful emergency repair of blunt right atrial rupture after a traffic accident.

A 53-year-old man crashed his motorcycle into a vehicle and was transported to our hospital by ambulance after about 30 min. Echocardiography revealed cardiac tamponade. Pericardiocentesis was immediately performed using a 5 Fr catheter via the subxiphoid approach and the results suggested cardiac injury. Surgery was commenced via median sternotomy about 2.5 hours after the accident. Patients with cardiac rupture who reach hospital alive can be saved by rapid transport, early detection, and early surgery. In particular, rapid echocardiography and pericardiocentesis via the subxiphoid approach under ultrasonic guidance are easy and helpful methods of making a diagnosis and achieving hemodynamic improvement prior to surgical intervention.