Think Outside the Heart: An Unusual Cause of Large Hemopericardium

Methodist Debakey Cardiovasc J. 2023 Sep 7;19(1):69-74. doi: 10.14797/mdcvj.1276. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Pericardial effusions secondary to tumors are commonly metastatic, originating primarily from the lung, breast, and lymphomas. Pericardial tamponade is a rare oncological emergency warranting early identification and treatment. We describe a 66-year-old male found to have a large bloody pericardial effusion causing tamponade physiology, and multimodality imaging was consistent with intrapericardial malignancy with no identifiable primary source. He was subsequently diagnosed with type B3 thymoma after mediastinal resection.

Keywords: hemorrhagic pericardial effusion; invasive thymoma; mediastinal mass; pericardial effusion.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Cardiac Tamponade* / diagnostic imaging
  • Cardiac Tamponade* / etiology
  • Cardiac Tamponade* / surgery
  • Heart
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Medical Oncology
  • Multimodal Imaging
  • Pericardial Effusion* / diagnostic imaging
  • Pericardial Effusion* / etiology
  • Pericardial Effusion* / surgery