Valette S, Nouette-Gaulain K, Chardon P, Roustan J-P, Ryckwaert Y, Capdevila X
Service de réanimation polyvalente, département d'anesthésie-réanimation A, hôpital Lapeyronie, CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Ann Fr Anesth Reanim. 2007 Jun;26(6):593-5. doi: 10.1016/j.annfar.2007.03.024. Epub 2007 May 23.
Cardiac contusion is frequently found in patients with blunt chest trauma. It is important to note that even if there is a low incidence of pericardial effusion, iterative echocardiography should be used to provide essential information for the diagnosis of cardiac tamponade which can be life-threatening during hospitalisation. The case has been reported of a 17-year-old patient with blunt thoracic trauma in whom the introduction of anticoagulant treatment induced a delayed cardiac tamponade with myocardiac failure 3 weeks after a cardiac contusion. Thoracic computed tomography confirmed the diagnosis and moreover, revealed a pleural effusion with pulmonary embolism. The drainage of the pericardial effusion (700 ml) rapidly restored haemodynamic stability and as such has been proved to be life-saving.
