PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - P Kaye AU - ΔΊ O'Sullivan TI - Myocardial contusion: emergency investigation and diagnosis AID - 10.1136/emj.19.1.8 DP - 2002 Jan 01 TA - Emergency Medicine Journal PG - 8--10 VI - 19 IP - 1 4099 - http://emj.bmj.com/content/19/1/8.short 4100 - http://emj.bmj.com/content/19/1/8.full SO - Emerg Med J2002 Jan 01; 19 AB - Cardiac contusion is an infrequent but occasionally serious complication of deceleration injury. According to ATLS teaching, the true diagnosis of contusion can only be established by direct inspection of the myocardium. The clinically important sequelae of myocardial contusion are hypotension and arrhythmia. Despite recent advances in investigative techniques, myocardial trauma remains an important diagnostic and management challenge. This paper presents an evidence-based review of the topic.