title: Malignant cardiac tamponade.
abstract: Malignant pericardial effusion is a frequent complication in primary mediastinal and pleural malignancies. As a first manifestation of a malignant tumour, however, it is rare. With cardiac tamponade the likelihood of malignancy increases. We report a life-threatening cardiac tamponade as the primary clinical presentation of a pericardial mesothelioma. Pericardiocentesis resolved the acute symptoms, followed by surgical pericardial fenestration. Oncologic therapy is evidently indicated. All mesotheliomas carry a poor prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Cardiology, Heilig Hartziekenhuis, Roeselare-Menen, Belgium. mdeceuninck@hhr.be
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Ceuninck
authors.forename: Ingel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Demedts
authors.forename: Sander
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trenson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed