Resuscitative transesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis of post-CABG loculated pericardial clot causing cardiac tamponade.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Pericardial effusion is a known complication of post-open cardiac surgery which can progress to life-threatening cardiac tamponade. Classical signs of tamponade such as hypotension and pulsus paradoxus are often absent. Diagnosing acute cardiac tamponade with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) can be challenging in post-cardiac surgical patients due to distorted anatomy and limited scanning windows by the presence of surgical dressings or scar. Additionally, this patient population is more likely to have a loculated pericardial effusion, or an effusion that is isoechoic in appearance secondary to clotted blood. These findings can be challenging to visualize with traditional TTE. Missed diagnosis of cardiac tamponade due to loculated pericardial clot can result in delay

SUBMITTER: Adi O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8050179 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature