title: Cardiac tamponade as an initial clinical presentation of infective endocarditis.
abstract: Two cases of aortic valve endocarditis with valvar ring abscesses are described which presented clinically with pericardial tamponade. The difficulties in establishing the diagnosis are discussed, as well as the role of echocardiography. The diagnosis was confirmed at surgery in both cases.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence