Eleven patients who were admitted to the Emergency Surgery Unit of Şişli Etfal Hospital between 1990-1994 and who were operated on with the diagnosis of penetrating cardiac injuries were evaulated in this study.

The mean age of patients was 30.9 (17-63) years and female/male ratio was 1/10. The diagnosis was made by the triad of hypotension (<80 mmHg), increased CVP (>20 cm water) and muffling of heart sounds in 8 patients (73%) and aspiration of defibrinated blood by pericardiosynthesis in 3 patients (27%).

All patients had stab wounds. The right ventricule was injured in ten patients (91%). The right and left ventricule and interventriculer septum was injured in one patient.

The myocardium was closed by primary suture. The pericardium was sutured leaving a hole at either the top or the bottom to avoid tamponade from rebleeding.

Segmenter atelectasis in the inferior lobe of the left lung was seen in one patient and empyema developed in the left hemitorax in another patient.

Three patients died postoperatively. Morbidity was found to be 33% and mortality 27%.

According to the data of literature and to results of our study, it is concluded that it is appropriate to make thoracotomy and to perform primary closure of the heart wound after fluid replacement and resuscitation.