Shot to the heart: A case of traumatic ventricular septal aneurysm and review of the literature

Traumatic cardiac injuries are an uncommon diagnosis in the pediatric population. Of the traumatic cardiac injuries, more than 95% are contusions. Traumatic ventricular aneurysms are exceptionally rare, and most are detected during long-term follow-up. They are usually successfully managed medically but can require emergent surgical intervention. We report the case of a 6-year-old boy who was in a motor vehicle collision. He was found to have profound sinus bradycardia during initial resuscitation with hypotension. An electrocardiogram showed complete heart block. A cardiologist was consulted, and an echocardiogram was performed, which revealed a ventricular septal aneurysm. The case is followed by a review of the literature on traumatic cardiac injuries and ventricular septal aneurysms in the pediatric population.