Commotio cordis

Sudden cardiac arrest from a blunt, nonpenetrating blow to the chest. The basis of the cardiac arrest is ventricular fibrillation (a chaotically abnormal heart rhythm) triggered by chest wall impact immediately over the anatomic position of the heart. This can happen, for example, in sports such with baseballs, softballs, lacrosse balls, hockey pucks and a blow in boxing. The only effective treatment is cardiopulmonary resuscitation with defibrillation to reverse ventricular fibrillation. Commotio cordis ia also known as a "concussion of the heart."

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com·mo·tio cor·dis kə-'mō-shē-ō-'kȯrd-əs n concussion of the heart that is caused by a blow to the chest over the region of the heart by a blunt object (as a baseball, hockey puck, or fist) which does not penetrate the body and that usu. results in ventricular fibrillation leading to sudden cardiac death if treatment by defibrillation is not immediately given

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damage to the heart, frequently fatal, resulting from a sharp nonpenetrating blow to the adjacent body surface.