Large pleural effusions causing cardiac tamponade: a case report and review of the literature.
Hemodynamically significant cardiac tamponade physiology is an uncommon complication of a large pleural effusion. Previous reports have shown that this physiology can be reversed with thoracentesis. We describe a case of a 69-year-old man with multiple cardiac risk factors presenting with decompensated congestive heart failure and unstable angina. A coronary stent was placed in the left anterior descending artery. Two days postprocedure, he became unresponsive and hemodynamically unstable. A chest x-ray (CXR) revealed bilateral large-sized pleural effusions with transthoracic echocardiography demonstrating a small pericardial effusion, large right pleural effusion, and evidence of cardiac tamponade. A right thoracentesis was performed, draining almost 1,000ml of fluid and resulting in a rapid improvement of his hemodynamic profile.
Saqib Ali
SA
Gowani
Alfred
A
Danielian
Joseph
J
Villaneuva
Christopher
C
Pickett
D000368:Aged; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004452:Echocardiography; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000150:complications*; D011859:Radiography; D012307:Risk Factors