Penetrating cardiac injuries: A complex challenge

The heart is a unique organ, vital and constant its tireless function, working 24 hours a day during the entire life time of an individual. It has inspired many talented poets, writers, and musicians throughout the ages. The first description of a cardiac injury was found in Homer's poetic description of the death of Sarpedon from the classical Greek epic The Iliad. Cardiac injuries remain among the most challenging of all injuries in the field of trauma surgery. Their management often requires immediate operative intervention, excellent surgical technique, and the ability to provide advanced critical care to these patients postoperatively.