Electrocardiographic changes following a cardiac stab wound. Case report and review of the literature.

A patient is described who sustained a cardiac stab wound which was associated with ECG evidence of a full thickness myocardial infarction. Subsequent investigation showed a localized area of dyskinesia on left ventricular angiography, but normal thallium myocardial perfusion and normal anatomy on coronary angiography. The patient was managed conservatively and made a complete and uneventful recovery. It is concluded that extensive ECG changes following a cardiac stab wound need not be associated with major coronary artery damage.