[Pneumopericardium with favorable outcome in a ventilated premature infant].
Pneumopericardium is a rare and severe complication of artificial ventilation in neonates.


METHODS
A preterm neonate born after 29 weeks of gestation was placed under ventilatory support for bronchopulmonary dysplasia. At 63 days of life, just after a severe bronchospasm which required bag ventilation with high pressures, she collapsed and required immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation with epinephrine infusion. The diagnosis of pneumopericardium was deduced from the chest X-ray obtained in emergency, on which there was also a right pneumothorax. Cardiac recovery with return of spontaneous circulation was only obtained after evacuation of the pneumopericardium with a 23-gauge needle via the sub-xiphoid route. The pneumothorax was drained and the long-term evolution was favorable.


CONCLUSIONS
In the case of cardiopulmonary compromise, the early diagnosis of pneumopericardium should lead to the immediate evacuation of the pneumopericardium in order to improve the prognosis.
Follet-Bouhamed
C
C
Service de pédiatrie, CHU de Poitiers, France.
Nassimi
A
A
Biran
V
V
Nolent
P
P
Oriot
D
D
D001986:Bronchial Spasm / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D011026:Pneumopericardium / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Pneumopéricarde d'évolution favorable chez un prématuré ventilé.