[Cardiac hernia after intrapericardial pneumonectomy].

Cardiac herniation secondary to intrapericardial pneumonectomy is a rare complication, although its real incidence has surely been underestimated. We describe a patient with left cardiac herniation presenting after intrapericardial pulmonectomy for primary lung cancer. The signs were severe hemodynamic shock requiring additional surgery involving a wide opening in the pericardium. The outcome after surgery was fully satisfactory.