Key result
Echocardiography-guided pericardiocentesis is the standard and preferred method due to its non-invasive nature, lack of radiation, and lower complication rates compared to older techniques.
This narrative review summarizes the history, indications, and contemporary imaging-guided techniques for pericardiocentesis, highlighting echocardiography as the standard of care due to its safety profile.
Reinforces echocardiography-guided pericardiocentesis as standard; leaves open need for prospective outcome data in contemporary cohorts.
Pericardiocentesis is the evacuation of fluid (which exceeds physiologic levels) from pericardial space. Although it’s generally used as a life saving procedure in cardiac tamponade, it is also used for diagnostic purposes. Together with the advances in imaging modalities, pericardiocentesis techniques are diversed. In this report our aim is to give an idea about the history and indications of pericardiocentesis and thereafter briefly explain the tecniques of pericardiocentesis under the light of modern advances.
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Turfan et al. (2013) conducted a review in Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. Pericardiocentesis was evaluated. Echocardiography-guided pericardiocentesis is the standard and preferred method due to its non-invasive nature, lack of radiation, and lower complication rates compared to older techniques.
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