Key result
A rare case of a 31-year-old man presenting with massive pericardial effusion and impending tamponade was diagnosed with an extragonadal germ cell tumor after urgent subxiphoid drainage and CT imaging.
Why the study?
Pericardial effusion is an exceptionally rare initial clinical manifestation of extragonadal germ cell tumor.
Case Report (n=1)
No
Highlights the importance of proper work-up, including chest CT, in cases of pericardial effusion to identify rare causes like extragonadal germ cell tumors.
May prompt tumor workup in young men with tamponade; extends rare-case literature but leaves practice implications open.
The clinical manifestations of extragonadal germ cell tumor (EGGCT) depend on its location and are often caused by compression on surrounding structures. Pericardial effusion is absolutely rare as an initial clinical manifestation for this tumor. We report a 31-year-old man presenting to the emergency department with dyspnea. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed a massive pericardial effusion with impending tamponade. The patient was immediately transferred to the operating room where a cardiac surgeon drained bloody effusion. A mediastinal mass measuring 173×105×105 mm was accidentally noticed during COVID-19 work-up. Fine core needle biopsy of the mass led to the diagnosis of a germ cell tumor, which was treated appropriately. This study shows the importance of proper work-up in pericardial effusion cases with chest CT-scan as an important part of it.
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Monfared et al. (2021) conducted a case report in Extragonadal germ cell tumor with massive pericardial effusion (n=1). Subxiphoid drainage and tumor biopsy was evaluated. A rare case of a 31-year-old man presenting with massive pericardial effusion and impending tamponade was diagnosed with an extragonadal germ cell tumor after urgent subxiphoid drainage and CT imaging.
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