title: Pericardial effusions in infants and children: injection of echo contrast medium enhances the safety of echocardiographically-guided pericardiocentesis.
abstract: Pericardiocentesis is usually an easy and uncomplicated procedure when guided by cross-sectional echocardiography, but an abnormal intracardiac or extrapericardial position of the puncture system can occur, especially in children. Injection of echo contrast medium through the puncture needle is a very sensitive, quick, easy and harmless procedure which can be performed at the bedside in all cases in which doubt remains concerning the location of the needle. Prompt enhancement of signal intensity of the pericardial fluid validates the correct intrapericardial position, and permits visualization of the tip of the needle. Absence of echodense formations excludes an intrapericardial position. We recommend the use of echo contrast medium during pericardiocentesis whenever blood is aspirated through the needle, or if there is any doubt concerning its location.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Kinderkardiologie, Universitätsklinikum der Rheinisch-Westfälischen Technischen Hochschule Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Mühler
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Engelhardt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: von Bernuth
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003287:Contrast Media; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D019152:Paracentesis / Q000379:methods*; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media