Key result
Emergent aspiration of pericardial air successfully resolved a life-threatening tension pneumopericardium that developed as a rare iatrogenic complication following therapeutic pericardiocentesis.
Why the study?
Several etiologies and mechanisms for pneumopericardium have been described without clear consensus, and cases can lead to severe complications such as cardiac tamponade.
Case Report (n=1)
Iatrogenic tension pneumopericardium is a rare but potentially fatal complication of pericardiocentesis that requires prompt recognition by imaging and emergent decompression.
Tension pneumopericardium can complicate therapeutic pericardiocentesis; this Level 5 case leaves open incidence, risk factors, and prevention.
Pneumopericardium is the presence of air within the pericardial cavity. Though several etiologies and pathological mechanisms for this have been described, there is no clear consensus. Most resolve spontaneously, but others may develop severe complications such as cardiac tamponade which may lead to cardiorespiratory arrest. We report a rare case of a patient who developed a tension pneumopericardium requiring emergent aspiration following a therapeutic pericardiocentesis. Radiological and echocardiographic findings of this rare iatrogenic pneumopericardium are reviewed.
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López et al. (2022) conducted a case report in Iatrogenic pneumopericardium (n=1). Pericardiocentesis was evaluated. Emergent aspiration of pericardial air successfully resolved a life-threatening tension pneumopericardium that developed as a rare iatrogenic complication following therapeutic pericardiocentesis.
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