[Malignant pericardial effusion after esophageal cancer surgery successfully treated by intrapericardial instillation of CDDP].

The patient is a 63-year-old male with pericardial effusion who fell into cardiac tamponade one year and eight months following radical operation for esophageal cancer (stage IV). Because the cytological diagnosis for the punctured specimen of pericardial effusion indicated class V, we recognized it as pericardial recurrence and instilled CDDP 20 mg and 25 mg into the pericardial cavity. The pericardial effusion disappeared completely. There are many reports of CDDP instillation into the pleural cavity or the peritoneal cavity, but few into the pericardial cavity. For esophageal cancer, this is the first report in Japan. The patient is still alive at present after fourteen months have passed. It is considered that this method is effective for malignant pericardial effusion due to advanced esophageal cancer.