Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison	Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z

Heart, section through the middle	Heart, front view

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Overview	Symptoms	Treatment	Prevention

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Myocardial contusion

Alternative Names

Blunt myocardial injury

Symptoms

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.

Exams and Tests

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 abnormalites in the ability of the ventricle to contract (wall motion abnormalities)

Review Date: 4/13/2004
Reviewed By: John A. Daller, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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