title: Bedside pericardiocentesis under the guidance of transesophageal echocardiography in a 13-month-old boy.
abstract: Pericardial effusion is a common sequel to cardiac surgery. Urgent pericardiocentesis is required in the case of cardiac tamponade. In adult patients, most pericardiocentesis is accomplished using transthoracic echocardiographic imaging. However, transthoracic echocardiographic imaging may interfere with the procedure field in children. We report the case of a 13-month-old boy who developed cardiac tamponade resulting in heart failure after surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot. Urgent pericardiocentesis was safely performed at the bedside under transesophageal echocardiographic guidance. Transesophageal echocardiographic monitoring during pericardiocentesis in children has the advantages of better imaging of pericardial effusion without procedure-field interference.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, National Taiwan University, College of Medicine and Hospital, Taipei.
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D020519:Pericardiocentesis