Delayed fatal impact cardiopathy

The lesions of impact cardiopathy ("cardiac contusion") which fail to heal satisfactorily, leading to delayed heart failure and death, are infrequently recognized, in part because of a general lack of appreciation of the lingering significance of lesser degrees of trauma. The case of a 31-year-old male dying 4 weeks after a vehicular collision provides strong confirmation of the expectable intermediate aspects of this spectrum of post traumatic lesions.