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A 32-year-old member asked:

Could a rib fracture affect the heart?

4 doctor answers9 doctors weighed in
Dr. Marianna Post
Family Medicine 19 years experience
Rarely: Most of the time no, but if in doubt, get x-ray and ECG
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Creighton Wright
surgery 58 years experience
Not usually: With multiple anterior left ribs broken and flail it might? Uncommon.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Gerald Mandell
Nuclear Medicine 54 years experience
Infrequent: A myocardial contusion is contusion (bruise) of the cardiac muscle (heart muscle). It is usually a consequence of blunt trauma to the anterior chest wall, and the right heart is thought to be most commonly affected because of anterior position. Usually, there are associated injuries such as sternal and/or rib fracture, .
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Nir Hus
Dr. Nir Husanswered
General Surgery 18 years experience
Rib and heart : Rib fractures can affect the heart in many ways: It my puncture the pericardium, it may damage the heart, it may cause tamponad, to name a few.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Last updated Nov 14, 2017

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