COMMOTIO CORDIS: THE SINGLE, MOST COMMON CAUSE OF TRAUMATIC DEATH IN YOUTH BASEBALL

@article{Abrunzo1991COMMOTIOCT,
  title={COMMOTIO CORDIS: THE SINGLE, MOST COMMON CAUSE OF TRAUMATIC DEATH IN YOUTH BASEBALL},
  author={Thomas J. Abrunzo},
  journal={Pediatric Emergency Care},
  year={1991},
  volume={6},
  pages={221}
}
  • T. Abrunzo
  • Published 1 September 1990
  • Medicine
  • Pediatric Emergency Care
Two cases of blunt chest trauma caused by a baseball are reported, including one death. At least one of these was in consequence of cardiac concussion or commotio cordis, an entity not described in teh pediatric literature. Concussion of the heart is a functional injury, in contrast to cardiac contusion or cardiac rupture, which pertains to structural injury. However, a cardiac concussion appears more likely to have immediate, dire consequences than the structural injury of cardiac contusion… 
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Clinical Profile of Commotio Cordis: An Under Appreciated Cause of Sudden Death in the Young During Sports and Other Activities
TLDR
An experimental model of low‐energy chest wall impact demonstrates that commotio cordis events are due largely to the exquisite timing of blows during a narrow window within the repolarization phase of the cardiac cycle, 15 to 30 msec prior to the peak of the T wave.
Commotio cordis: sudden death due to chest wall impact in sports
TLDR
Sudden death resulting from relatively minor chest wall blows (commotio cordis) has been described in the medical literature since the late 1970s and this number is, in all likelihood, an underestimate of the true incidence of this phenomenon.
BLUNT IMPACT TO THE CHEST LEADING TO SUDDEN DEATH FROM CARDIAC ARREST DURING SPORTS ACTIVITIES
Cardiac concussion (commotio cordis).
TLDR
Cardiac concussion (commotio cordis) is seen in patients in whom the precordium has been struck with relatively little force at a vulnerable period of the cardiac cycle.
Blunt impact to the chest leading to sudden death from cardiac arrest during sports activities.
TLDR
It is speculated that most sudden deaths related to impact to the chest (not associated with traumatic injury) are due to ventricular dysrhythmia induced by an abrupt, blunt precordial blow, presumably delivered at an electrically vulnerable phase of ventricular excitability.
Commotio Cordis
TLDR
Commotio cordis is arrhythmia or sudden death from low-impact, blunt trauma to the chest without apparent heart injury in baseball but has also been reported in hockey, softball, and several other sports.
Commotio cordis–A report of three cases
TLDR
This work presents three cases from the north-east of England where an assault caused death by commotio cordis, a recognised cause of sudden death in which an apparently minor blow to the chest causes ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest.
A Case of Commotio Cordis
TLDR
A case of ventricular fibrillation that occurred after a light blunt trauma to the chest wall is reported that occurred during sports games, like baseball, ice-hockey and soft balls in young children.
Sudden death of a young hockey player: case report of commotio cordis.
Clinical profile and spectrum of commotio cordis.
TLDR
The expanded spectrum of commotio cordis illustrates the potential dangers implicit in striking the chest, regardless of the intent or force of the blow and suggests that the safety of young athletes will be enhanced by developing more effective preventive strategies to achieve protection from ventricular fibrillation following precordial blows.
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