Survival of an extensively burned infant following purulent pericarditis.

This is a report of the treatment and survival of an extensively burned infant following purulent pericarditis with massive pericardial effusion due to Staphylococcus aureus. A 2-year-old boy fell into a bathtub and suffered scalds covering at least 70 per cent of the body surface area. Pericarditis with massive pericardial effusion was diagnosed on post-burn day 36. As conservative treatment was ineffective pericardiotomy and pericardial drainage were carried out. Whole body oedema disappeared promptly and entirely and the patient was discharged from hospital with healed burns and free of cardiac symptoms.