The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 26, 155-164, Copyright © 1978 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Delayed postoperative cardiac tamponade: diagnosis and management
RL Hardesty, M Thompson, DB Lerberg, RD Siewers, JD O'Toole, R Salerni and HT Bahnson
Symptoms and signs of decreased cardiac output associated with an elevated
venous pressure should alert one to the possibility of delayed cardiac
tamponade. Enlargement of the cardiothoracic ratio shown by serial
roentgenograms and demonstration of significant pericardial effusion by
echocardiogram or radionuclide angiocardiography support the diagnosis.
Erratic response of the prothrombin time to administration of warfarin and
abnormal results of liver function test are additional clues to its
diagnosis. Right heart catheterization documents the presence of tamponade
and excludes other diagnostic considerations. Operative decompression of
the pericardial space can be accomplished by pericardicentesis, subxiphoid
pericardiotomy, median sternotomy, or thoracotomy. Hemodynamic observations
following the relief of tamponade assure that an adequate therapeutic
procedure has been performed.