title: Pericardioscopy for diagnosing penetrating cardiac trauma.
abstract: Currently, the diagnosis of hemopericardium in trauma is made mainly by ultrasonography. A pericardial window, either through thoracoscopy or by a subxiphoid approach, is also used. However, hemopericardium per se might be overly sensitive for diagnosing cardiac injuries after chest trauma. The use of diagnostic pericardioscopy in a hemodynamically stable patient with penetrating cardiac trauma is presented. This procedure excluded significant cardiac injury and spared the patient from a major nontherapeutic procedure.
authors.affiliation: Section of Thoracic Surgery, Santo Tomás Hospital, Panamá, Republic of Panamá. Electronic address: randradealegre@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andrade-Alegre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004724:Endoscopy; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010496:Pericardium; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000175:diagnosis*