Upper torso cyanosis: A marker for blunt cardiac rupture

Cardiac rupture is a frequent cause of death following blunt trauma. Most of these patients die at the scene with only a few surviving to make it to the hospital. With improvements in prehospital care and rapid regional transport, more of these patients may arrive at the hospital with signs of life. Classically, these patients arrive with the constellation of symptoms that characterize cardiac tamponade (hypotension, distended neck veins, and distant heart sounds). The differential appearance of upper body cyanosis frequently accompanies these injuries. Prompt recognition and expeditious surgical treatment may increase the number of survivors of this catastrophic injury. Presented here is an illustrative case report and review of the literature.