Commotio Cordis

What is commotio cordis? The ping of the baseball bat is music to some, but it can also produce a projectile, which, if it strikes a batter's chest at just the right spot, at just the right time in the heart cycle, it can produce a deadly heart rhythm called cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest caused by a blow to the chest is called Commotio Cordis (“Commotion in the Chest”) and is similar to the type of heart rhythm that can be deadly to people who are having heart attacks.
The exact incidence of commotio cordis is not known, but it is not uncommon. A 12-year-old pitcher from Wayne New Jersey was struck by a baseball in June 2006 and fortunately was able to survive.
Children and young adolescents are at greatest risk for commotio cordis because they have compliant chest walls that transmit the energy of the baseball to the heart. A baseball is the most common object that can cause commotio cordis, but other projectiles, like lacrosse balls, hockey pucks, footballs and soccer balls can also cause the arrhythmia.
The treatment for commotio cordis is prompt defibrillation, an electric shock to the heart that restores the heart to a normal rhythm. Unless defibrillation is provided within 10 minutes or less, commotio cordis is almost always fatal. Automatic external debrillators (AED’s) are small, portable devices that can provide an electric shock to a victim of cardiac arrest. AED’s have been used by bystanders in airports, casinos and other public places to treat cardiac arrest. AED’s are also deployed by policeman and other rescue workers. In an effort to prevent commotio cordis, various chest protectors have been developed. Unfortunately, none have proven to be effective and athletes are reluctant to use them as they can restrict motion.
Until new and improved chest protectors are invented, parents of young athletes should speak with their Little League governing bodies about obtaining an AED for their athletic fields.