Three Cases of Traumatic Pericarditis Following Transseptal Left Heart Catheterization: with Special Reference to Atrial Injury Current

Three cases which developed shock and traumatic pericarditis following the inadvertent puncture of the free wall of the right atrium by the transseptal needle are described. All cases showed atrial injury current which was produced presumably by the puncture of the right atrial free wall in one case and by subepicardial atrial lesions following pericarditis in the other 2 cases.