title: Cardiac tamponade following penetrating mediastinal injuries: improved survival with early pericardiocentesis.
abstract: Cardiac tamponade was diagnosed in 197 patients admitted over 20 years (1955-1974) to the Charity Hospital of New Orleans, for emergency treatment of pentrating mediastinal injuries. Of the 197, 174 definitively treated patients followed one of three patterns of management: 96 had OR thoracotomy, 68% were unstable, and preoperative pericardiocentesis reduced mortality from 25 to 11% (p less than 0.01); 44 had emergency thoracotomy, 91% were unstable, and prethoractomy pericardiocentesis decreased mortality from 94 to 63% (p less than 0.05); 34 patients primarily with isolated stab wounds, were treated nonsurgically with pericardiocentesis and observation, only 50% were unstable and there was 15% mortality. Recurrent tamponade did not significantly increase overall or operative mortality in patients with pericardiocentesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  early, even presumptive, diagnosis of tamponade; immediate pericardial decompression via pericardiocentesis; and rapid transfer to OR for thoracotomy or sternotomy and cardiorrhaphy with continous pericardial decompression via intrapericardial catheter.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000293:injuries*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000601:surgery; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*