Pulmonary overinflation syndrome (POIS) is a group of barotrauma-related diseases caused by the expansion of gas trapped in the lung, or over-pressurization of the lung with subsequent over-expansion and rupture of the alveolar air sacs. This group of disorders includes arterial gas embolism, tension pneumothorax, mediastinal emphysema, subcutaneous emphysema and rarely pneumopericardium. In th...

A patient with complete atrioventricular block was fitted with a temporary endocardial pacing wire via a right subclavian percutaneous approach. The result was initially satisfactory, but within a few days radiography for left-sided chest pain showed pneumopericardium. A permanent epicardial pacing system was therefore substituted and she remained well for three months. She was then admitted fo...

Pneumopericardium is a rare disease defined as the presence of air or gas in the pericardial sac. Among the etiological factors, the following stand out: chest trauma, barotrauma, air-containing fistulas between the pericardium and the surrounding structures, secondary gas production by microorganisms growing in the pericardial sac, and iatrogenic factors. Until now, spontaneous pneumopericardi...

A 62-yr-old man was transferred to our institution with blunt chest trauma after being pinched between a car and a wall. Chest computed tomography revealed left-sided rib fractures, bilateral pneumothorax, and pneumopericardium, but no displacement of the heart. The pneumopericardium caused us to suspect a tear in the pericardium. Since the left pneumothorax was slightly more marked than the ri...

Rev Esp Cardiol 2002;55(8):861 861 We report a case of purulent pericarditis due to Streptococcus milleri. A 54-year-old man was seen for symptoms of pericarditis, high fever, and cardiac tamponade. In view of findings in the chest radiograph suggestive of a possible pneumopericardium, an emergency CT was performed that confirmed the diagnosis. In Figure 1 can be seen the thoracic CT with cardi...

Communications for this section will be published as space and priorities permit. The comments should not exceed 350 words in length, with a maximum of five references; one figure or table can be printed. Exceptions may occur under particular circumstances. Contributions may Include comments on articles published in this periodical, or they may be reports of unique educational character. Specif...