Pericardial Decompression Syndrome After Drainage of Chronic Pericardial Effusions

Catherine Sobieski; Maranda Herner; Noopur Goyal; Lillian L Khor; Lowell Chang; Erik Bieging; Thomas J McGarry

doi:10.1016/j.jaccas.2022.08.023

Pericardial Decompression Syndrome After Drainage of Chronic Pericardial Effusions

JACC Case Rep. 2022 Nov 16;4(22):1515-1521. doi: 10.1016/j.jaccas.2022.08.023.

Authors

Catherine Sobieski¹, Maranda Herner^{1

2}, Noopur Goyal^{1

2}, Lillian L Khor^{1

2

3}, Lowell Chang^{1

2

3}, Erik Bieging^{1

2

3}, Thomas J McGarry^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
² Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
³ Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, George E. Wahlen VA Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Abstract

Pericardial decompression syndrome (PDS) is a potentially fatal disorder of left ventricular function that sometimes occurs after drainage of a pericardial effusion for cardiac tamponade. Patients at risk for PDS are difficult to identify. Here, we report 2 cases where PDS developed after drainage of effusions that had been present for years, suggesting that patients with chronic effusions are at higher risk for PDS. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Keywords: CXR, chest x-ray; ED, emergency department; LV, left ventricular; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; PDS, pericardial decompression syndrome; RA, right atrium; RV, right ventricle; TTE, transthoracic echocardiogram; cardiac tamponade; pericardial decompression syndrome; pericardial effusion; pericardiocentesis; pulmonary edema; systolic heart failure.

Publication types

Case Reports