Backgrounds: Hanging injury is infrequent but its clinical course is usually devastating. Although hanging patients usually need cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), hanging-associated cardiovascular damage has not been fully established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the echocardiographic findings in patients with hanging injury.
Methods: We enrolled 25 patients (9 males, 33 ± 15 year-old) with hanging injury who performed echocardiography within 2 weeks after admission. Clinical, demographic and laboratory data and transthoracic echocardiographic findings were analyzed.
Results: Of those 25 patients, 8 patients (2 males, 34 ± 13 year-old) showed left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction (mean LVEF: 34 ± 16%). Global hypokinesia was presented in one patient. Apical ballooning with sparing of the basal segments was presented in 2 patients. Basal akinesia and apical hyperkinesia was presented in one patient. The other 4 patients showed regional wall motion abnormalities unmatched with coronary territories.
The duration of suspension and the duration of CPR were not significantly different according to the presence of LVSD.
Conclusion: This study show the echocardiographic findings in considerable numbers of patients with hanging injury for the first time. Variable patterns of LVSD were presented in the patients of haning injury.
