title: Cardiac tamponade as a complication of parenteral nutrition.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Complications arising from the use of central venous catheters are numerous, but cardiac tamponade is a complication well defined, very rare and often fatal. The mortality rate is 47-77% in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case of successful diagnosis and treatment of cardiac tamponade by parenteral nutrition in a 31-year-old female.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are only few cases of cardiac tamponade reported in the world literature since 1958. The true incidence is unclear and the most cases occur in children. Despite the rarity of this condition, it has a high mortality rate. The clinical findings are pain and discomfort in the epigastrium and chest region, nausea, dyspnea, tachycardia, distended jugular veins, paradoxical pulse, hypotension, electrocardiographic tracing signals with low voltage and enlargement of cardiac area. The immediate diagnosis and the treatment of cardiac tamponade are capital for patient survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiac tamponade should be suspected among patients with sudden onset of shock in use of parenteral nutrition, and therefore immediately treated.
authors: Department of General Surgery, Felício Rocho Hospital, HFR, Financial support - Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Diego Paim Carvalho
authors: DP
authors: Garcia
authors: Department of General Surgery, Felício Rocho Hospital, HFR, Financial support - Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Clarissa Santos
authors: CS
authors: Neto
authors: Department of General Surgery, Felício Rocho Hospital, HFR, Financial support - Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Pablo Nelson Valle
authors: PN
authors: Hubner
authors: Department of General Surgery, Felício Rocho Hospital, HFR, Financial support - Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Thiago de Almeida
authors: Tde A
authors: Furtado
authors: Department of General Surgery, Felício Rocho Hospital, HFR, Financial support - Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Andy
authors: A
authors: Petroianu
authors: Department of General Surgery, Felício Rocho Hospital, HFR, Financial support - Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: luizronaldoa@yahoo.com.br.
authors: Luiz Ronaldo
authors: LR
authors: Alberti
keywords: Cardiac tamponade; Complications of venous catheters; Parenteral nutrition; Treatment