What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Observational. Population: Traumatic acute pericardial tamponade (n=12). Intervention: Surgical pericardiotomy. Primary outcome: Survival and discharge without complications.

What does this research mean for the field?

Surgical pericardiotomy is a highly effective, lifesaving treatment for traumatic acute pericardial tamponade, resulting in 100% survival without complications in a 12-patient series. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To analyze and summarize clinical outcomes and surgical management strategies in patients presenting with traumatic acute pericardial tamponade.

March 8, 2026Journal of Cardiothoracic SurgeryOpen Access

Single center experience in surgical treatment of traumatic acute pericardial tamponade: a consecutive series of 12 cases

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Key result

Surgical pericardiotomy achieves 100% survival without complications in traumatic acute pericardial tamponade.

n=12

Key Points

To analyze and summarize clinical outcomes and surgical management strategies in patients presenting with traumatic acute pericardial tamponade.
Retrospectively reviewed clinical data of 12 consecutive patients with acute pericardial tamponade caused by various traumatic and iatrogenic injuries.
Diagnoses were established using CT scans (9 cases), angiography with transesophageal echocardiography (2 cases), ultrasonocardiography (1 case), or combined ultrasonocardiography and CT (1 case).
Surgical pericardiotomy was conducted via median sternotomy in 9 cases, right anterolateral thoracotomy in 2 cases, and left anterolateral thoracotomy in 1 case, with 1 case requiring cardiopulmonary bypass.
Etiologies included traffic trauma (5 cases), sharp instrument injuries (4 cases), and iatrogenic complications from catheter ablation or pericardiocentesis (3 cases).
The average time from diagnosis to operation was 36 min (range, 20 to 115 min), and the mean blood volume in the pericardial cavity was 321 ml (range, 200 to 500 ml).
All 12 patients survived and were discharged without complications following an average hospital stay of 18.8 days (range, 7 to 41 days).

Study Design

Type

Observational (n=12)

Multicenter

Structured PICO

Population

12 patients (mean age 45.0 years, 25% female) with traumatic acute pericardial tamponade treated with surgical pericardiotomy at a single center over a 10-year period.

Intervention

Surgical pericardiotomy (median sternotomy or anterolateral thoracotomy)

Outcome

Survival to discharge without complicationshard clinical

Surgical pericardiotomy is an effective lifesaving method for acute pericardial tamponade of various traumatic etiologies, with all 12 patients in this series surviving to discharge.

Limitations

Small number of cases (12 patients) over a large time span (10 years)
Retrospective single-center design
No comparison group of patients treated by pericardiocentesis or conservative measures
Small number of cases (12 patients) over a 10-year period
No comparison with patients treated by pericardiocentesis or conservative measures

Implication

Supports pericardiotomy in traumatic tamponade; hypothesis-generating and requires validation in larger cohorts.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and summarize the experiences in surgical treatment of acute pericardial tamponade. METHODS: The clinical data of 12 consecutive patients with acute pericardial tamponade caused by various types of trauma were retrospectively collected and reviewed. RESULTS: There were 9 (75%) males and 3(25%) females. The average age was 45.0 years (range, 29 to 72 years). 9 cases of this cohort were diagnosed by CT. However, 2 cases of acute pericardial tamponade caused by iatrogenic injury were confirmed by angiography and transesophageal echocardiography. 1 case was diagnosed by ultrasonocardiograph, and 1 case by UCG combined with CT scan. Surgical pericardiotomy was performed via different incisions. All 12 patients were discharged without complications. CONCLUSION: Acute pericardial tamponade has different etiologies and complex conditions, and is a catastrophic condition that can be fatal. However, rapid diagnosis, maintenance of vital signs and surgical pericardiotomy are lifesaving methods to treat acute pericardial tamponade patients.

Discussion

No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.

Figures from the paper

Published by Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery · CC BY-NC-ND

Cite This Study

Zhu et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Traumatic acute pericardial tamponade (n=12). Surgical pericardiotomy was evaluated on Survival and discharge without complications. Surgical pericardiotomy successfully treated all 12 patients with traumatic acute pericardial tamponade, resulting in a 100% survival rate with no complications upon discharge.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69ad12afe7e9681137aa8a15 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13019-026-03948-7

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Implication

Supports pericardiotomy in traumatic tamponade; hypothesis-generating and requires validation in larger cohorts.

Single center experience in surgical treatment of traumatic acute pericardial tamponade: a consecutive series of 12 cases

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Limitations

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Figures from the paper

Cite This Study

Single center experience in surgical treatment of traumatic acute pericardial tamponade: a consecutive series of 12 cases

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Limitations

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Figures from the paper

Cite This Study

Keep reading

Keep reading