ABSTRACT
Penetrating injuries, especially by knife to the lower lateral wall of the thorax, may enter the peritoneal cavity as well as
•
the pleural spaces, perforating the diaphragm en route. The stomach, being largely within the rib cage, may often be penetrated. The common stab wounds of the heart may also include diaphragmatic and upper abdominal injuries. A knife can enter the front of the lower thorax, pass through either or both ventricles, and exit through the pericardial surface of the diaphragm to enter the upper surface of the liver. The orientation of the heart is often not appreciated after it is removed as an isolated organ, as the tendency is to visualize it as hanging with the apex downwards. In fact, it sits flat on the diaphragm on the lateral edge of the right ventricle, with the inferior vena cava passing immediately downwards into the abdomen.
