Sternal fractures and delayed cardiac tamponade due to a severe blunt chest trauma.

Sternal fractures caused by blunt chest trauma are associated with an increased incidence of cardiac injury. Reports of the incidence of cardiac injury associated with sternal fracture range from 18% to 62%. Delayed cardiac tamponade is a rare phenomenon that appears days or weeks after injury. Moreover, after nonpenetrating chest trauma, cardiac tamponade is very rare and occurs in less than 1 of 1000. This case describes a patient who had delayed cardiac tamponade 17 days after a severe blunt chest trauma.