Pseudo cardiac tamponade in the setting of excess pericardial fat.
Cardiac tamponade is the phenomenon of hemodynamic compromise caused by a pericardial effusion. Following a myocardial infarction, the most common causes of pericardial fluid include early pericarditis, Dressler's syndrome, and hemopericardium secondary to a free wall rupture. On transthoracic echocardiography, pericardial fluid appears as an echo-free space in between the visceral and parietal layers of the pericardium. Pericardial fat has a similar appearance on echocardiography and it may be difficult to discern the two entities. We present a case of a post-MI patient demonstrating pseudo tamponade physiology in the setting of excessive pericardial fat.
Nguyen
Thang
T
Section of Cardiology, Department of Cardiac Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. thang_nguyen@shaw.ca
Kumar
Kanwal
K
Francis
Andrew
A
Walker
Jonathan R
JR
Raabe
Michael
M
Zieroth
Shelley
S
Jassal
Davinder S
DS
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery