Tension Pneumopericardium after Pericardiocentesis

A Very Rare Case of Isolated Spontaneous Pneumopericardium Secondary to COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) is currently a pandemic. In addition to respiratory symptoms, involvement of other organs such as the pericardium is also seen. Pneumomediastinum in COVID-19 patients has rarely been reported. Isolated pneumopericardium without pneumomediastinum is even more uncommon. We described a case of COVID-19 in association with pneumopericardium. To the best of our knowledge, no case with isolated pneumopericardium has been reported thus far.

A Rare Iatrogenic Trio: Pneumopericardium, Pneumoperitoneum, and Pericarditis

We present a rare case of iatrogenic pneumopericardium, pneumoperitoneum, and Escherichia coli pericarditis after emergency pericardiocentesis for pericardial tamponade. The patient had profound bowel distention at the time of the procedure that led to iatrogenic pericardioperitoneal fistula formation along with transverse colon perforation, which manifested later after pericardial drain removal. This condition required repeat pericardiocentesis, laparoscopic colon repair, a long course of antibiotics, and an eventual pericardial window. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).

Pneumopericardium and pleural effusion: a rare complication of paediatric pericardiocentesis

Pneumopericardium is a rare complication of pericardiocentesis (PC), occurring as a result of either a direct pleuropericardial communication or a leaky drainage system. Pneumopericardium is often self-limiting; however, physicians should be aware of this complication as it may progress to tension pneumopericardium, which requires immediate recognition and management. PC has been associated with pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum or subcutaneous emphysema, but the association with pleural effusion has been less reported. The authors present the case of a 14-year-old healthy boy who developed post-PC pneumopericardium and pleural effusion, a rare association reported in the literature. The diagnosis of this potential life-threatening event was made using readily available complementary diagnostic methods, such as transthoracic echocardiography and chest X-ray.

Rare Complication of Pneumomediastinum and Pneumopericardium in a Patient with COVID-19 Pneumonia

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a recently discovered coronavirus which has caused a global outbreak of severe pneumonia with complications leading to hypoxic respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), cytokine storm, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and even gastrointestinal symptoms. While ground-glass opacity (GGO) is a typical radiographic finding associated most frequently with COVID-19 pneumonia, other less commonly noted atypical radiographic lung features include isolated lobar or segmental consolidation without GGO, discrete small nodules (centrilobular, “tree-in-bud”), lung cavitation, and smooth interlobular septal thickening with pleural effusion. Pneumomediastinum in COVID-19 patients has rarely been reported. A finding of pneumopericardium is unusual too. This report discusses the case of a young male with COVID-19 pneumonia who was found to have both these features on computed tomographic (CT) scans of his chest on presentation.