ISSN 1016-5169 | E-ISSN 1308-4488
Archives of the Turkish Society of Cardiology
Pneumopericardium after pericardiocentesis [Turk Kardiyol Dern Ars]
Turk Kardiyol Dern Ars. 2011; 39(8): 697-700 | DOI: 10.5543/tkda.2011.01699

Pneumopericardium after pericardiocentesis

Filiz Özerkan, Murat Bilgin, M. Şefa Öktem, M. Beyazıt Balkan
Ege University Medical School,Department of Cardiology, İzmir, Turkey

Pneumopericardium is defined by the presence of air in the pericardial sac. We present a 61-year-old cachectic woman who developed pneumopericardium after pericardiocentesis. She presented with complaints of fatigue and shortness of breath. The chest X-ray showed an increased cardiothoracic ratio, and echocardiographic examination showed a marked pericardial effusion. Pericardiocentesis was performed and a total of 860 ml hemorrhagic pericardial fluid was aspirated. At the end of the first week after removal of the catheter, control chest radiography showed air-fluid levels in the pericardial cavity, and echocardiography revealed dense air bubbles in the decreased pericardial effusion. As the patient was hemodynamically stable, she was monitored on medical treatment. However, five days later, pericardiocentesis was repeated due to a significant increase in the pericardial effusion despite decreased amount of air. As no etiologic factor could be elicited, a connective tissue disease was considered and a corticosteroid was added to her treatment, which resulted in a rapid decline in the pericardial effusion on follow-up chest radiography and echocardiography. She was discharged on steroid therapy.

Keywords: Pericardial effusion, pericardiocentesis/adverse effects, pneumopericardium/etiology

How to cite this article
Filiz Özerkan, Murat Bilgin, M. Şefa Öktem, M. Beyazıt Balkan. Pneumopericardium after pericardiocentesis. Turk Kardiyol Dern Ars. 2011; 39(8): 697-700

Corresponding Author: Filiz Özerkan, Türkiye
Manuscript Language: Turkish


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