Non-surgical treatment of purulent pericarditis, due to non-encapsulated Haemophilus influenzae, in an immunocompromised patient.
A 59-year-old woman suffering from rheumatoid arthritis was admitted with pleural empyema and pericarditis due to non-encapsulated H. influenzae, and developed signs of cardiac tamponade. Purulent pericarditis resolved after ultrasound-guided percutaneous aspiration and systemic antimicrobial therapy. Serial echocardiographic examinations showed a slowly vanishing effusion. Long term follow-up revealed no evidence of pericardial constriction. This case illustrates that life-threatening purulent pericarditis in an immunocompromised patient may respond well to non-surgical treatment.
Ligtenberg
J J
JJ
Department of Internal Medicine, State University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands. j.j.m.ligtenberg@int.azg.nl
van der Werf
T S
TS
Zijlstra
J G
JG
Tulleken
J E
JE
Fijen
J W
JW
Möller
L V
LV
D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000382:microbiology; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008875:Middle Aged; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000382:microbiology; D013396:Suction / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome