Pleural pericardial window for palliation of cardiac tamponade due to cancer

Cardiac tamponade due to metastatic cancer may be successfully palliated by creation of a pleural pericardial window. Four patients with malignant cardiac tamponade underwent surgery at the University of Colorado in a 12-month period with no mortality. A normal cardiac and mediastinal silhouette was achieved in all 4 patients, 2 of whom had postoperative radiation therapy. A pleural pericardial window was established in 3 patients, resulting in prompt relief of tamponade. A fifth patient, who refused pleural pericardial window, is also reported. This patient died of pericardial tamponade in 10 days, in spite of repeated pericardiocenteses.