Malignant Pericardial Effusion in Ovarian Malignancy: A Treatable Oncologic Emergency

Tamar Perri; Daniel Lantsberg; Gilad Ben-Baruch; Mario E Beiner; Ariella Jakobson-Setton; Jacob Korach

doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2015.04.024

Malignant Pericardial Effusion in Ovarian Malignancy: A Treatable Oncologic Emergency

J Emerg Med. 2015 Sep;49(3):281-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2015.04.024. Epub 2015 Jul 3.

Authors

Tamar Perri¹, Daniel Lantsberg¹, Gilad Ben-Baruch¹, Mario E Beiner¹, Ariella Jakobson-Setton¹, Jacob Korach¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

PMID: 26149806
DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2015.04.024

Abstract

Background: Pericardial tamponade is a life-threatening condition that can occur, albeit rarely, in patients with ovarian cancer. Whether or not prolonged survival is possible after such an event is debatable. Our aim was to describe our experience with seven ovarian cancer patients who experienced malignant cardiac tamponade at tumor diagnosis or at recurrence.

Case report: Six patients were treated with pericardiocentesis and one with pericardial fenestration. Survival after tamponade ranged from 3 to 72 weeks. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: We suggest that when pericardial effusion occurs in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, timely diagnosis and proper management might allow palliation and prolongation of life.

Keywords: cardiac tamponade; malignant pericardial effusion; ovarian cancer.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Fatal Outcome
Female
Humans
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
Neoplasm Staging
Ovarian Neoplasms / complications*
Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy
Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
Pericardial Effusion / etiology*
Pericardial Effusion / pathology
Pericardial Effusion / therapy*
Pericardiocentesis*