Left Ventricular Cardiac Tamponade in the Setting of Cor Pulmonale and Circumferential Pericardial Effusion

Is pulmonary hypertension protective against cardiac tamponade? A systematic review

The presence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) may affect whether cardiac tamponade physiology develops from a pericardial effusion. Specifically, the increased intracardiac pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy associated with PH would seemingly increase the intrapericardial pressure threshold at which the right-sided chambers collapse. In this systematic review, we examined the impact of PH on the incidence, in-hospital and long-term mortality, and echocardiographic findings of patients with cardiac tamponade. Using the PRISMA guideline, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Academic Search Premier, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Database for studies investigating PH and cardiac tamponade. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to analyze the quality of returned studies. Primary outcomes included the incidence of cardiac tamponade, as well as in-hospital and long-term mortality rates. Secondary outcomes were the presence or absence of echocardiographic findings of cardiac tamponade in patients with PH. Forty-three studies (9 cohort studies and 34 case reports) with 1054 patients were included. The incidence of cardiac tamponade was significantly higher in patients with PH compared to those without PH, 2.0% (95% CI 1.2-3.2%) vs. 0.05% (95% CI 0.05-0.05%), p < 0.0001, OR 40.76 (95% CI 24.8-66.9). The incidence of tamponade in patients with a known pericardial effusion was similar in those with and without PH, 20.3% (95% CI 12.0-32.3%) and 20.9% (95% CI 18.0-24.1%), p = 0.9267, OR 0.97 (95% CI 0.50-1.87). In patients with tamponade, those with PH demonstrated a significantly higher in-hospital mortality than those without PH, 38.8% (95% CI 26.4-52.8%) vs. 14.4% (95% CI 14.2-14.6%), p < 0.0001, OR 3.77 (95% CI 2.12-6.70). Long-term mortality in patients with tamponade was significantly lower in those with PH than in those without PH, 45.5% (95% CI 33.0-58.5%) vs. 59.1% (95% CI 54.7-63.4%), p = 0.0258, OR 0.576 (95% CI 0.33-1.01). However, after stratifying by non-malignant etiologies, the long-term mortality benefit for those with PH disappeared. In the studies that described specific echocardiographic findings of cardiac tamponade, only 10.5% of patients with PH and tamponade showed right atrial and right ventricular collapse. When evaluating patients with pericardial effusions, physicians must recognize the effects of underlying PH on the incidence, in-hospital and long-term mortality rates, and potentially atypical echocardiographic presentation of cardiac tamponade.

Isolated left ventricular cardiac tamponade diagnosed on point-of-care ultrasound in the emergency department: A case report and brief literature review

In this case report, we describe isolated left ventricular cardiac tamponade, a rare complication of cardiac surgery, diagnosed on point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the emergency department (ED). To our knowledge, this is the first report of such a diagnosis made on ED bedside ultrasound. Our patient was a young adult female with a history of recent mitral valve replacement who presented to the ED with dyspnea and was found to have a large loculated pericardial effusion causing left ventricular diastolic collapse. Rapid diagnosis via POCUS in the ED allowed for expedited definitive treatment by cardiothoracic surgery in the operative room and emphasizes the importance of a standard 5-view cardiac POCUS examination when post-cardiac surgery patients present to the ED.

Loculated Pericardial Effusion: An Uncommon Cause of Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction

A patient with a previous lung transplant and aortic valve replacement had progressive dyspnea. He presented with subacute tamponade secondary to a loculated pericardial effusion that caused impaired left ventricular filling and outflow tract obstruction secondary to distortion of the mitral valve apparatus. We demonstrate the imaging features of this presentation. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.)

Pericardial effusion in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Abstract Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a serious condition that can lead to right heart failure and death. Pericardial effusion in PAH is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and its pathogenesis is complex and poorly understood. There are few data on the prevalence of pericardial effusion in PAH, and more importantly, the management of pericardial effusion is controversial. Current literature abounds with case reports, case series, and retrospective studies that have limited value for assessing this association. Hence, we summarize the available evidence on this ominous association and identify areas for future research.

Echocardiography of isolated subacute left heart tamponade in a patient with cor pulmonale and circumferential pericardial effusion

Patients with advanced idiopathic pulmonary artery hypertension have often a chronic pericardial effusion. It is the result of increased transudation and impaired re-absorption due to elevated venous pressure. These patients have pre-existent symptoms and signs of chronic right heart failure. High degree of suspicion is required to detect of development of an atypical form of tamponade with isolated compression of left heart chambers as shown in present case report. Transthoracic echocardiography provides a rapid access to the correct diagnosis, a prompt relief of symptoms following the ultrasound guided pericardiocentesis and important diagnostic tool for regular follow up of patients thereafter as shown in our case report.