Purpose: Between 1977-1999, 27 patients with penetrating cardiac injuries was performed at Dicle University School of Medicine were reviewed retrospectively.

All patients were male and mean age was 22.3 (range 5-37). 23 patients had stab wounds and 4 patients had gunshot wounds. Interventions was performed left anterolateral thoracotomy in 21 patients, right anterolateral thoracotomy in 5 patients, median sternotomy in 1 patient. Localization of the injury was determined right ventricule in 15(55.5%), left ventricule in 8(29.6%), right atrium in 3(11.1%), left atrium in 1(3.7%) lung (7 patients), vena cava inferior-ductus thoracicus-esophagus (1 patients), liver (1 patients), IMA (2 patients), left phrenic nerve (1 patients), medulla spinalis (1 patients) was injured in association with cardiac injuiry.

Surgery was applied in emergent condition for all cases. Cardiac injury was performed the most frequent primer repair technique. Hospital mortality was determined 18.5% with 5 patients. (pulmonary emboly, brain death, cardiogenic shock).

The rapid transport, properly resuscitation and emergent thoractomy was improved survival in patients sustained penetrating cardiac injuries.

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