Cardiac tamponade presenting to the emergency department after sternal wire disruption.
An unusual case of cardiac tamponade presenting to the emergency department is reported in a patient with sternal wire disruption after a pectus excavatum repair two years previously. The complication, although rare may have potentially life threatening sequelae and therefore consideration of sternal wire disruption in all patients presenting with chest pain after a previous sternotomy should be made.
Cope
S A
SA
Department of Emergency Medicine, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol, UK. simonacope@hotmail.com <simonacope@hotmail.com>
Rodda
J
J
D000328:Adult; D001864:Bone Wires / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000150:complications; D005660:Funnel Chest / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed