Premium
Pleural effusion leading to right atrial collapse
Author(s) -
Khouzam Rami N.,
Yusuf Jawwad
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of clinical ultrasound
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.272
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1097-0096
pISSN - 0091-2751
DOI - 10.1002/jcu.22064
Subject(s) - pericardiocentesis , medicine , cardiac tamponade , pericardial effusion , thoracentesis , pleural effusion , effusion , tamponade , cardiology , inotrope , pericardial fluid , intravascular volume status , surgery , hemodynamics
Rapid accumulation of pericardial fluid can lead to tamponade, resulting in cardiac chambers' collapse, which can lead to hemodynamic and clinical instability, potentially needing emergent pericardiocentesis. Pleural effusion should also be considered as a potential, if rare, cause of cardiac chambers' collapse and possibly cardiac tamponade. This phenomenon has clinical implications because hemodynamically unstable patients with moderate to large pleural effusion may actually need thoracentesis instead of massive volume resuscitation, inotropic agents, or pericardiocentesis. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 42 : 189–191, 2014