title: Tension pneumopericardium in an infant.
abstract: Pneumopericardium in newborns is most often a complication of mechanical ventilation and frequently results in fatal cardiac tamponade. We report the case of a mechanically ventilated 33-day-old full-term gestation infant with interstitial pneumonitis who developed tension pneumopericardium. Treatment includes lowering peak inspiratory pressure and decompressing the pericardial space with tube drainage following pericardiocentesis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Fiser
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011026:Pneumopericardium / Q000209:etiology*; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*