Abstract: The Pathological study on blunt cardiac trauma in 38 autopsy cases was performed. The results showed that: (1) The blunt cardiac trauma was of various types including primary, secondary and delayed. (2) The sarcolemma burst and corresponding myocardiac fiber sticking out in various shapes and deformity, were the primary traumatic injuries caused by blunt forces and were different from nontraumatic damages of myocardial fiber; (3) The blunt cardiac trauma should be accounted for the majority of death among any age and sex. Woman, child or old person have no immunity to the cardiac trauma. It must be pointed out that pre- existing pathological damages includinng atherosclerosis of the coronary artery may make these vesels or tissues particulary susceptible to blunt foces on the chest wall.

Key words: blunt cardiac trauma, cardiac concussion, traumatic carditis, traumatic myocardial infarction