Pericardial effusion interventions

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Roukoz A. Karam, M.D.[2]

Overview

The mainstay of treatment for pericardial effusion is pericardial fluid drainage. Indications for pericardiocentesis or a pericardial window include cardiac tamponade, for diagnostic purposes if there is suspected purulent, tuberculosis, or neoplastic pericarditis, and the presence of a large, persistent, symptomatic pericardial effusion.

Indications

The mainstay of treatment for pericardial effusion is pericardiocentesis. Pericardiocentesis is usually reserved for patients with either:

• a pericardial effusion and evidence of hemodynamic compromise (ie, cardiac tamponade)
  • Urgent drainage of the pericardial effusion for therapeutic (and potentially diagnostic) purposes.
• a pericardial effusion who are hemodynamically stable with no evidence of cardiac tamponade
  • do not require immediate drainage of the effusion for therapeutic purposes
  • sampling of the effusion may be indicated for diagnostic purposes in patients without a clear etiology for the effusion

Indications for pericardiocentesis or a pericardial window include the following:

• Cardiac tamponade
• For diagnostic purposes if there is suspected purulent, tuberculosis, or neoplastic pericarditis
• The presence of a large, persistent, symptomatic pericardial effusion