title: A case report of ventricular dysfunction post pericardiocentesis: stress cardiomyopathy or pericardial decompression syndrome?
abstract: We report a case of transient biventricular dysfunction post therapeutic pericardiocentesis, with classic features of stress cardiomyopathy (SCM). In our patient, the clinical and echocardiographic features were more in keeping with Takotsubo-type SCM than pericardial decompression syndrome (PDS). Our case is instructive in challenging our understanding of the aetiology of LV dysfunction complicating pericardiocentesis, and in highlighting the importance of careful clinical evaluation (altered heart rate and dyspnoea) in suspecting acute LV dysfunction after initial clinical improvement with pericardial aspiration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, 2139, NSW, Australia. chadiayoub@yahoo.com.au.|The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. chadiayoub@yahoo.com.au.
authors.forename: Chadi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ayoub
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, 2139, NSW, Australia. shift1drift2@gmail.com.|The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. shift1drift2@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, 2139, NSW, Australia. leonard.kritharides@sydney.edu.au.|The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. leonard.kritharides@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kritharides
mesh_terms: D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020519:Pericardiocentesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D054549:Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*