Massive right pleural effusion leading to cardiac tamponade in absence of pericardial effusion: a rare presentation

COVID-19 has a broad spectrum of cardiac manifestations, and cardiac tamponade leading to cardiogenic shock is a rare presentation. A 30-year-old man with a history of COVID-19-positive, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) done 1 week ago and who was home-quarantined, came to the emergency department with palpitations, breathlessness and orthopnoea. His ECG showed sinus tachycardia with low-voltage complexes, chest X-ray showed cardiomegaly and left pleural effusion and two-dimensional echocardiography showed large pericardial effusion with features suggestive of cardiac tamponade. He was taken up for emergency pericardiocentesis which showed haemorrhagic pericardial fluid. Intercostal drainage insertion was done for left-sided large pleural effusion. After ruling out all the other causes for haemorrhagic pericardial effusion, the patient was started on colchicine, steroids, ibuprofen and antibiotics to which he responded. Both pericardial and pleural effusions resolved completely on follow-up.

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Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade requiring pericardial window in an otherwise healthy 30-year-old patient with COVID-19: a case report

Journal of Medical Case Reports ◽

10.1186/s13256-020-02467-w ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Christina Walker ◽

Vincent Peyko ◽

Charles Farrell ◽

Jeanine Awad-Spirtos ◽

Matthew Adamo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Case Report ◽

Pericardial Effusion ◽

Cardiac Tamponade ◽

Case Reports ◽

Healthy Woman ◽

Signs And Symptoms ◽

Rare Presentation ◽

Pericardial Window ◽

Acute Pericarditis ◽

Novel Coronavirus

Abstract Background This case report demonstrates pericardial effusion, acute pericarditis, and cardiac tamponade in an otherwise healthy woman who had a positive test result for coronavirus disease 2019. Few case reports have been documented on patients with this presentation, and it is important to share novel presentations of the disease as they are discovered. Case presentation A Caucasian patient with coronavirus disease 2019 returned to the emergency department of our hospital 2 days after her initial visit with worsening chest pain and shortness of breath. Imaging revealed new pericardial effusion since the previous visit. The patient became hypotensive, was taken for pericardial window for cardiac tamponade with a drain placed, and was treated for acute pericarditis. Conclusion Much is still unknown about the implications of coronavirus disease 2019. With the novel coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, research is still in process, and we are slowly learning about new signs and symptoms of the disease. This case report documents a lesser-known presentation of a patient with coronavirus disease 2019 and will help to further understanding of a rare presentation.

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Neonatal Cardiac Tamponade and Pleural Effusion Resolved with Chest Tube Placement

Neonatal Network The Journal of Neonatal Nursing ◽

10.1891/0730-0832.29.6.347 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 29 (6) ◽

pp. 347-351 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Samir Alabsi

Keyword(s):

Pleural Effusion ◽

Pericardial Effusion ◽

Cardiac Tamponade ◽

Chest Tube ◽

Venous Catheter ◽

Tube Placement ◽

Central Venous ◽

Chest Tube Placement ◽

Select Group ◽

Venous Catheterization

Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade secondary to umbilical venous catheterization are rare complications but potentially fatal. This article reports a case of cardiac tamponade and right pleural effusion secondary to transudation of hyperosmolar fluid from an appropriately placed umbilical venous catheter. The infant survived as a result of early diagnosis by echocardiography and urgent chest tube placement that drained both pleural and pericardial effusions. Cardiac tamponade should be highly suspected in any neonate with a central venous catheter who develops sudden, unexplained clinical deterioration in cardiopulmonary status even when the line is properly placed, and urgent echocardiography or pericardiocentesis should be considered early in management of such patients. Umbilical venous catheterization should be considered only for a select group of sick neonates due to risks involved with these lines. When an umbilical venous catheter is placed, special precautions should be taken and maintenance guidelines followed.

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Bronchoalveolar Carcinoma Presenting as Malignant Pericardial Effusion

Asian Cardiovascular and Thoracic Annals ◽

10.1177/021849239700500414 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 244-246

Author(s):

Raju S Iyer ◽

Sanjeev Agarwal ◽

Bharadwaja Vamaraju ◽

Srinivasu Kola ◽

Srinivas Bhavanarushi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

Pleural Effusion ◽

Pericardial Effusion ◽

Lung Lesion ◽

Pericardial Fluid ◽

Malignant Cells ◽

Computed Tomography Scan ◽

Rare Presentation ◽

Malignant Pericardial Effusion ◽

Tomography Scan

A 35-year-old male underwent emergency pericardiectomy for repeated tamponade. A computed tomography scan of the thorax showed a consolidated lung lesion with pleural effusion. Emergency aspiration removed hemorrhagic pericardial fluid and straw colored pleural effusion. Both fluids tested negative for malignant cells. He later underwent a pneumonectomy after a biopsy revealed carcinoma of the lung. The case is reported to illustrate this rare presentation of bronchoalveolar carcinoma.

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P636 A unique case of purulent pericarditis resulting in cardiac tamponade

European Heart Journal - Cardiovascular Imaging ◽

10.1093/ehjci/jez319.320 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

H Shah ◽

V K Le

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Pleural Effusion ◽

Pericardial Effusion ◽

Cardiac Tamponade ◽

Ultrasound Guidance ◽

Pigtail Catheter ◽

Shortness Of Breath ◽

Pleural Effusions ◽

The Right

Abstract Introduction and case report description A 54-year-old male with no past cardiac disease was experiencing a productive cough, fevers, chills, and shortness of breath for 3 days in the community. His dyspnea worsened significantly, and he then presented to the emergency room. He admitted to using intravenous recreational drugs. His initial vital signs included a temperature of 38.2 degrees Celsius, a heart rate of 116 beats per minute, and a blood pressure of 88/42 mmHg. He had a positive pulses paradoxus with a decrease in systolic blood pressure of 14 mmHg on inspiration. Description of the problem and procedures This presentation was consistent with cardiac tamponade. He had an emergent echocardiogram showing a large pericardial effusion in the apical-four-chamber view (Image 1, A), including collapse of the right ventricle during diastole (Image 1, B, Green Arrow). There were also fibrin strands seen in a modified parasternal long axis view (Image 1, C, Blue Arrow). He had an emergency pericardiocentesis using real-time ultrasound guidance, which drained 400 mL of thick brown purulent fluid. A pigtail catheter was inserted to allow for continued drainage. Immediately afterwards, the patient’s blood pressure normalized, and his shortness of breath improved significantly. Using the ultrasound, the physician also saw bilateral pleural effusions. The larger left pleural effusion was drained, and a pigtail catheter was inserted into the left pleural space. After confirming that there was no post-procedure left pneumothorax, the right pleural effusion was also drained. An echocardiogram after the pericardiocentesis showed a significant decrease in the size of the pericardial effusion (Image 1, D). The patient was started on broad-spectrum antibiotics, which was then narrowed after cultures from both the pericardial fluid and pleural fluid grew methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus. Discussion Cardiac tamponade results in increased compression of the cardiac chambers due to raised pericardial pressures. As it progresses, it can result in significant impairment in venous return, cardiac output, and blood pressure. This is a life-threatening condition if it is not promptly treated. In this case, the patient had a methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus empyema which spread contiguously into the pericardium and resulted in cardiac tamponade. Conclusions and implications for clinical practice This case highlights the clinical benefits of being proficient in performing a point-of-care ultrasound because a bedside echocardiogram by the physician immediately confirmed the diagnosis and allowed for safer drainage of the pericardial effusion using ultrasound guidance to decrease the chance of causing a perforation of the ventricle. Using ultrasound, the clinician was also able to promptly diagnose the pleural effusions and urgently drain them, which was necessary for achieving source control in order to fully treat the infection. Abstract P636 Figure. Image 1. Cardiac Tamponade

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390 Late pleuro-pericardial effusion after atrial fibrillation radiofrequency ablation

European Heart Journal Supplements ◽

10.1093/eurheartj/suab142.046 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 23 (Supplement_G) ◽

Author(s):

Luisa Airoldi ◽

Lidia Rossi ◽

Ailia Giubertoni ◽

Sara Bacchini ◽

Alice Panizza ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Radiofrequency Ablation ◽

Pleural Effusion ◽

Pericardial Effusion ◽

Cardiac Tamponade ◽

Myocardial Infarct ◽

Pulmonary Veins ◽

Clinical Manifestations ◽

Pericardial Fluid ◽

Recurrent Atrial Fibrillation

Abstract Aims Post-cardiac injury syndrome (PCIS) is an inflammatory state involving pericardium, epicardium, and myocardium causing a clinical picture in which epicardial and pericardial symptoms are prevalent. It appears mediated by autoimmune mechanisms and may appear as late post myocardial infarction pericarditis (Dressler’s Syndrome) or as a post traumatic pericarditis in the case of spontaneous thoracic trauma or iatrogenic pericarditis. Apart from the acute setting, pericardial effusion can be a manifestation of PCIS after interventional procedures. Methods and results A 57 years old hypertensive woman suffering from recurrent atrial fibrillation episodes underwent a technically difficult radio-frequency catheter ablation because of complex pulmonary veins anatomy and wide scar in the left atrial wall. During the procedure she developed cardiac tamponade and 410 ml of blood were drained by pericardiocentesis and re-infused without recurrent pericardial effusion during further in-hospital stay. She was discharged on apixaban 5 mg b.i.d. with Hb value of 10.2 g/dl. Two weeks later the patient was hospitalized for worsening cough, atypical chest pain, dyspnoea and modest orthopnea. C-reactive protein levels were 8.7 mg/dl, Hb was 9.9 g/dl and platelet count 484 000/ml; blood cultures were negative. An urgent thoracic CT scan showed bilateral pleural effusion and ubiquitous pericardial effusion (2.5–3 cm), without signs of active bleeding from the cardiac chambers into the pericardium. After stopping apixaban, the patient was given colchicine (1 mg/die). A total of 1200 ml of hematic pericardial fluid was drained from the pericardium over a 5-day period. Autoimmune blood tests were negative, as well as antibodies to pericardiotropic viruses. Pericardial fluid was negative for quantiferon and direct BK. On day 9, the drain was removed and steroidal treatment was started (prednisone 25 mg/die with scheduled tapering). Further echocardiographic exams were stable without pericardial effusion; a chest X-ray scan (at day 16) showed reversal of the water bottle shaped heart and of the pleural effusion. Conclusions Early myocardial infarct-associated pericarditis and Dressler’s syndrome account for about 20% of cases of PCIS accompanied by symptoms of epicardial and pericardial origin. PCIS is quite common after cardiac surgery, but it may be also observed even after iatrogenic trauma occurring during cardiac interventions: PCI, pacemaker lead insertion, radiofrequency ablation and Swan–Ganz catheterization. Blood entering the pericardium is thought to play a pivotal etiological role in iatrogenic PCIS, with consequent huge inflammatory reaction in the mesothelial tissue resulting in clinical manifestations of pericarditis. In animal models of PCIS, systemic release of cardiac antigens and self-antigen specific responses has been hypothesized. In our case cardiac tamponade complicating the ablation procedure probably initiated the epicardial and pericardial inflammatory response. Even if based on few data, the patient was treated with colchicine first, avoiding aspirin because of the hemorrhagic pericardial fluid; glucocorticoids were then started when symptoms and signs of PCIS slowly resolved despite colchicine treatment. The pericardial fluid was hemorrhagic (Hb 5.9 g/dl) and treatment with apixaban, in the context of an inflammatory mesothelial response, could have caused this peculiar, hemorrhagic, pericardial reaction.

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Malignant pericardial effusion complicated by cardiac tamponade under atezolizumab

SAGE Open Medical Case Reports ◽

10.1177/2050313x211036005 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. 2050313X2110360

Author(s):

Lardinois Benjamin ◽

Goeminne Jean-Charles ◽

Miller Laurence ◽

Randazzo Adrien ◽

Laurent Terry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pericardial Effusion ◽

Cardiac Tamponade ◽

Cardiac Toxicity ◽

Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽

Final Diagnosis ◽

Pericardial Fluid ◽

Malignant Pericardial Effusion ◽

Typical Cell ◽

High Fluorescence ◽

Tomography Scan

Immune-related adverse events including cardiac toxicity are increasingly described in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors. We described a malignant pericardial effusion complicated by a cardiac tamponade in an advanced non-small cell lung cancer patient who had received five infusions of atezolizumab, a PDL-1 monoclonal antibody, in combination with cabozantinib. The definitive diagnosis was quickly made by cytology examination showing typical cell abnormalities and high fluorescence cell information provided by the hematology analyzer. The administration of atezolizumab and cabozantinib was temporarily discontinued due to cardiogenic hepatic failure following cardiac tamponade. After the re-initiation of the treatment, pericardial effusion relapsed. In this patient, the analysis of the pericardial fluid led to the final diagnosis of pericardial tumor progression. This was afterwards confirmed by the finding of proliferating intrapericardial tissue by computed tomography scan and ultrasound. This report emphasizes the value of cytology analysis performed in a hematology laboratory as an accurate and immediate tool for malignancy detection in pericardial effusions.

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