A 65-year-old man was involved in a multivehicle collision from which he sustained blunt polytrauma involving the abdomen and chest. Imaging of the chest revealed biventricular cardiac herniation into the left chest with an associated pneumopericardium. He underwent emergent surgical management with repositioning of the heart and repair of associated pericardial rupture. Exposure was facilitated with the novel use of an off-pump coronary surgery heart positioner. This report highlights the management of these rare blunt traumatic injuries in addition to using the Urchin® heart positioner for optimal exposure.
Keywords: cardiac herniation; cardiac luxation; herniated heart; pericardial rupture.