title: Adverse events associated with pericardiocentesis in dogs: 85 cases (1999-2006).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the frequency of adverse events occurring during or post pericardiocentesis and to determine if adverse events are related to the cause of the pericardial effusion or frequency of pericardiocentesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Referral hospital. ANIMALS, INTERVENTION AND MEASUREMENTS: Medical records of 85 dogs that underwent 112 episodes of pericardiocentesis were reviewed. Any adverse events during pericardiocentesis and in the 48 hours post pericardiocentesis were noted. The frequency of adverse events was compared between dogs with a suspected neoplastic cause and a suspected nonneoplastic cause of their pericardial effusion and also between the first and subsequent pericardiocenteses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of adverse events was 10.7% within 1 hour of pericardiocentesis and 15.2% within 48 hours. There was no significant difference in the frequency of adverse events between the groups. Most adverse events identified were dysrhythmias. Forty-one percent of those dogs with adverse events were euthanized or died within 48 hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of adverse events seen within 48 hours of pericardiocentesis was 15.2%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, The Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK.
authors.forename: Karen R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Humm
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Keenaghan-Clark
authors.forename: Amanda K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Boag
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004285:Dogs; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000662:veterinary; D004630:Emergencies / Q000662:veterinary; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D020519:Pericardiocentesis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: arrhythmia; cardiac; death; dysrhythmia; pericardial effusion