Why the study?
Acute purulent pericarditis is rare with high mortality, and diagnosis can be particularly challenging when it coincides with a more common condition.
Case Report (n=1)
This case highlights the diagnostic challenge of differentiating hemopericardium from purulent pericarditis in a patient presenting with STEMI, emphasizing the need for a high index of suspicion and multidisciplinary management.
Acute purulent pericarditis is rare and more prevalent in the pre-antibiotic era with high mortality, around 40% despite optimal treatment. The diagnosis can be difficult, requiring the practice of a pericardiocentesis in cases with a high index of suspicion. When such a rare entity coincides with another one more frequently the diagnosis can become tricky. We present the case of a man with a previous thoracic surgery who was admitted due to an ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) and was finally diagnosed with Methicillin Susceptible Staphylococcus Aureus (MSSA) purulent pericarditis requiring cardiac surgery. The main difficulty, in this case, was the differentiation between hemopericardium and purulent pericardium. Despite the initial difficulties, the systematic study of febrile syndrome and bacteremia allowed reaching the final diagnosis.
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Maymí‐Ballesteros et al. (2023) conducted a case report in ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) and Purulent Pericarditis (n=1). Surgical drainage and antibiotics was evaluated on Clinical recovery and resolution of infection.
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