title: Cardiac tamponade secondary to chest tube placement.
abstract: A 69-year-old woman was hospitalized because of a left-sided pneumothorax due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. During chest tube placement she developed hypotension and a decrease in peripheral oxygen saturation. A diagnosis of heart tamponade was made and the patient was treated successfully with pericardiocentesis and placement of a pericardial drain. Cardiac tamponade following chest tube placement is a rare and serious complication. When the clinical condition deteriorates following chest tube insertion, cardiac tamponade should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medisch Centrum Rijnmond-Zuid, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Hesselink
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Van Der Klooster
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Bac
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Scheffer
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Brouwers
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D015505:Chest Tubes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome