Cardiac tamponade as a complication of laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair: case report and literature review.

We report the case of a 61-year old female with history of gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia who developed hemopericardium and tamponade one day after laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair and Toupe fundoplication. The patient underwent emergent pericardiocentesis and subsequent surgical pericardial window. During surgery, a tack that had been used to secure mesh to the inferior aspect of the diaphragm was found to have penetrated the pericardium near the right ventricle. The offending foreign body was trimmed and reduced into the abdomen, and the patient recovered without further complication. A review of the literature reveals that, although rare, tamponade following diaphragmatic hernia repair and fundoplication surgery often results in fatal outcome. Tamponade must be considered in any patient who develops signs of hemodynamic instability following diaphragmatic hernia repair or fundoplication surgery, as rapid diagnosis and definitive intervention can decrease fatality from such an injury.