PERICARDIAL TAMPONADE: A life threatening condition caused by rapid accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac. It presents with shock, low cardiac output, rapid pulse, cold extemities, pulsus paradoxus and raised jugulars.When tamponade is suspected echo is urgent. CT/MRI can wait. The important findings on echo are: * presence of fluid in percardium * abnormal doppler. There is >25% respiratory variability in mitral E, ( increase in exp) and expiratory hepatic vein reversal. * dilated and non-reactive ivc, *swinging heart in large effusions *diatolic chamber invagination or collapse of ra and rv Some variants of cardiac tamponade can confound like regional tamponade, low pressure tamponade( over diuresis) and extrinsic tamponade due to large pleural effusion. Treatment of tamponade is pericadial tap. Delay can cause cardiac arrest and sudden death.
Posted on: Tue, 27 May 2014 06:57:17 +0000
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