[Two cases of pneumococcal pericarditis].
BACKGROUND
Bacterial pericarditis is often overlooked, partly because symptoms and signs associated with pericarditis are frequently missing, but also because of the rarity of the disease.


METHODS
Two cases of pneumococcal pericarditis treated at Ullevaal University Hospital are presented.


RESULTS
Pneumococcal pericarditis is a rare, but serious complication to infections like pneumonia, pleural empyema, and septicaemia. Patients with an infectious disease who develop signs of elevated central venous pressure, enlarged cardiac silhouette on chest x-ray, or severe hypotension should have an echocardiography performed. If pericardial fluid is present, a diagnostic pericardiocentesis should be considered.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment consists of drainage and antibiotics. Pericardiocentesis and subxiphoid catheter drains may be inadequate because of fibrin precipitation resulting in organization of the fluid. In these cases surgical intervention has traditionally been recommended, but intrapericardial fibrinolysis could be an alternative.
Svendsen
J
J
Medisinsk overvåkning, Ullevål sykehus 0407 Oslo.
Ormaasen
V
V
von der Lippe
E
E
Jacobsen
D
D
D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010492:Pericardiectomy; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents