title: Lesson of the month 1: Pericardial mass and cardiac tamponade associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
abstract: Mycoplasma pneumoniae primarily causes respiratory tract infections. Extrapulmonary manifestations are seen in 20-25% of cases. Cardiac involvement is rarely reported. We present a unique case of a pericardial mass and cardiac tamponade associated with a Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. This required emergency pericardial fenestration. The patient improved dramatically postoperatively on antibiotics and there was no recurrence of the pericardial effusion on follow up. This case highlights the often forgotten invasive properties of a common respiratory tract pathogen and emphasises the need to consider this easily treatable entity in the differential diagnosis of idiopathic pericardial effusions.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, North Middlesex University Hospital, London, UK sawhneyvin@googlemail.com.
authors.forename: Vinit
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sawhney
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, North Middlesex University Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Oksana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Maksunova
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, North Middlesex University Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Syed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahsan
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, North Middlesex University Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Muhiddin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozkor
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, North Middlesex University Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Westwood
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade; D006338:Heart Neoplasms; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010490:Pericardial Effusion; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma
keywords: Mycoplasma pneumoniae; cardiac tamponade; pericardial mass