Surviving resuscitation: Successful repair of cardiac rupture

An 83-year-old man was found unconscious and was successfully resuscitated. Progressive cardiac failure developed. After 42 hours of observation echocardiography revealed cardiac tamponade and a discontinuity in the left atrial wall. Exploration showed a laceration of the left atrium at the junction of the left pulmonary veins, which was closed with a direct suture on cardiopulmonary bypass. The postoperative course was uneventful.