Early descriptions of sudden cardiac death due to commotio cordis occurring in baseball.

摘要

Commotio cordis is defined as sudden cardiac arrest from a nonpenetrating precordial blow triggering ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation unassociated with structural damage to the heart, ribs, or sternum, and in the absence of underlying cardiovascular disease. Although initially known to forensic pathologists and reported by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, not until 15 years ago did commotio cordis achieve a measure of visibility in the wider lay and physician community, when a series of clinical and experimental reports began to appear in the literature. This phenomenon has now been reported in detail in recreational and competitive sports and also during normal daily activities. Indeed, sparse mention of commotio cordis appears in the public record or medical literature prior to 1995.