Sudden cardiac death following blunt chest trauma: commotio cordis

BACKGROUND: There have been numerous reports of sudden cardiac death attributable to the condition of commotio cordis. Primarily, these are reports from the USA. Although three Australian cases have been mentioned in the published literature, the present case appears to be the first described Australian case. METHODS: A man was brought to the Emergency Department after sudden collapse while playing cricket. His medical history was suggestive of hitting by a cricket ball while batting. RESULTS: The epidemiology and mechanism of arrhythmia induction in commotio cordis are discussed. The emergency management of commotio cordis is outlined. CONCLUSIONS: Commotio cordis is rare in sports (and Emergency Medicine). However it has a high mortality rate, and rapid recognition of the condition allows early defibrillation, generally with a good outcome. The improvement of participant care is recommended at community and other sport events.