title: [Secondary tamponade following cardiac surgery with reference to 3 cases].
abstract: Secondary tamponnade after cardiac surgery occurs after a variable period, generally between the 15th day and the 5th post-operative week. Although this is a rare complication, it occurred three times in a consecutive series of 225 patients (1.3 p. 100). Based on this short experience as compared to the number of cases already published, the authors discuss their opinions on: -- the factors of inflammation and post-operative anticoagulation which predispose to this complication; -- the progress in diagnosis brought about by echocardiography; -- the minimal suggested management of pericardocentesis completed or not by surgical drainage; -- the possibilities of prevention based on prolonged follow-up of patients who present post-operative "pericardial problems". In this way it may be possible to eliminate a not negligeable cause of secondary mortality after cardiac surgery.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D004452:Echocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications
vernacular_title: Tamponnade secondaire après chirurgie cardiaque: a propos de 3 observations.