Cardiac wounds have been described for centuries and still remain often
fatal. For a long period of time suture of a myocardial laceration was
thought to be absolutely impossible if not sacrilege. It is only at the
end of the 19th century that pioneers decided to defy such dogma in
desperate cases. Nowadays it seems obvious that a cardiac stab wound
require emergent surgery whenever possible. The story of cardiac wounds
highlights nicely the change of mind that is required to accept progress
and new procedures in medicine.