Early-Term Pneumopericardium After Cardiac Surgery

Free air in the pericardial space is called pneumopericardium, a rare phenomenon. Increased intra-alveolar pressure may cause alveolar rupture, releasing air that travels to the pericardial space. This condition can occur following trauma or surgical interventions. In this case, we present a young female patient with pneumopericardium that developed early after open-heart surgery. Interestingly, the pleural spaces were not opened during the initial operation, and hemodynamic stability was maintained despite the massive mediastinal air that developed. The case was treated surgically due to the possible risk of infection associated with the Dacron graft in the mediastinum.