A smoker with cyanosis and hypotension.
Involvement of the pericardium and pericardial effusion at postmortem is common in advanced malignant disease. However, cardiac tamponade presenting as the first manifestation of malignancy is uncommon. We present the case of a patient who presented with malignant pericardial effusion who had advanced lung cancer with metastasis and paraneoplastic features.
Intensive Care Unit, Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. drramanathan@rediffmail.com
K
K
Ramanathan
Nikki
N
Blackwell
D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology*; D003490:Cyanosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000209:etiology*; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*