title: Esophageal cancer with an esophagopericardial fistula and purulent pericarditis.
abstract: We herein present the case of a 56-year-old Japanese woman who developed purulent pericarditis after undergoing chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer. She developed epigastralgia and a fever and was admitted to our hospital. A physical examination revealed hypotension, tachycardia and pericardial friction rub. Echocardiography revealed moderate pericardial effusion. Based on these observations, the patient was diagnosed with cardiac tamponade. Computed tomography confirmed the presence of an esophagopericardial fistula. Treatment with pericardiocentesis, drainage and short-term intrapericardial administration of antibiotics relieved the patient's symptoms. Daily rinsing through a catheter with normal saline prevented relapse of the purulent pericarditis. Esophagopericardial fistulas are so rare that their treatment is not well-established. We herein report successful palliative care of a malignant esophagopericardial fistula associated with purulent pericarditis.
authors: Departments of Cardiology, Niigata Cancer Center Hospital, Japan.
authors: Tsugumi
authors: T
authors: Takayama
authors: Yuji
authors: Y
authors: Okura
authors: Kazuhiro
authors: K
authors: Funakoshi
authors: Tatsuhiko
authors: T
authors: Sato
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Ohi
authors: Toshiyuki
authors: T
authors: Kato
mesh_terms: D004937:Esophageal Fistula / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010496:Pericardium / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology