title: Infantile major airway stenosis and acute respiratory distress associated with cardiac tamponade.
abstract: Coxsackie virus pericarditis caused cardiac tamponade in a 45-day-old infant with corrected total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage and a hypodynamic left heart. The pathophysiology comprised reduced heart compliance, venous return impairment, acute pulmonary hypertension, and increased airway microvascular permeability. Tracheal edema and external compression caused tracheal lumen narrowing and respiratory failure. Laryngoscopy was difficult because of laryngeal inlet swelling. Endotracheal intubation was accomplished with a 3.0-mm tube. Pericardial cavity evacuation resulted in rapid recovery. A postprocedural chest radiograph revealed tracheal lumen enlargement. Repeated laryngoscopy revealed resolution of upper-airway edema. In infants, large pericardial effusions developing after corrective/palliative heart surgery may cause major airway compromise.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology, Agia Sofia Children's Hospital; and †Department of Intensive Care Medicine and ‡Second Department of Anesthesiology, University of Athens Medical School, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Spyros D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Mentzelopoulos
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tzoufi
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kostopanagiotou
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000150:complications; D004487:Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D020519:Pericardiocentesis; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000150:complications; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D011859:Radiography; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D014463:Ultrasonography