Pneumopericardium is defined as the presence of air inside the pericardial space. Usually, it is reported as a complication of blunt or penetrating chest trauma, but rare iatrogenic and spontaneous cases have been reported. Pneumopericardium is relatively stable if it does not generate a tension effect on the heart. However, it may progress to tension pneumopericardium, which requires immediate...

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of rescue echocardiographically guided pericardiocentesis as a primary strategy for the management of acute cardiac perforation and tamponade complicating catheter-based procedures. BACKGROUND In this era of interventional catheterization, acute tamponade from cardiac perforation as a complication is encountered mor...

We report a case of transient biventricular dysfunction post therapeutic pericardiocentesis, with classic features of stress cardiomyopathy (SCM). In our patient, the clinical and echocardiographic features were more in keeping with Takotsubo-type SCM than pericardial decompression syndrome (PDS). Our case is instructive in challenging our understanding of the aetiology of LV dysfunction compli...

Pericardial effusion can develop from any pericardial disease, including pericarditis and several systemic disorders, such as malignancies, pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic renal failure, thyroid diseases, and autoimmune diseases. The causes of large pericardial effusion requiring invasive pericardiocentesis may vary according to the time, country, and hospital. Transthoracic echocardiography is...

Figure 1. Chest computed tomography-scan. Note the loop around the heart (1) and elongated segment of the probe (2). 1 2 We report the case of a 49 year-old man, admitted to our institution for tamponade. His previous medical history was mainly an oesophageal epidermoid cancer, with local metastases treated by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and oesophageal prosthesis. His cardiovascular risk fa...

Pericardial aspiration is more difficult and hazardous than aspiration of other serous cavities. If the aspirating needle is introduced too far, it may injure or tear the myocardium, resulting in hwemopericardium, or induce ventricular fibrillation. The dangers are increased if the effusion is small, or if aspiration is performed as a diagnostic procedure to distinguish an effusion from a cardi...