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  • Title: [Incidence, clinical aspects and therapy of late pericardial tamponade following heart surgery].
    Author: Wilhelm M, Carrel T, Jenni R, Turina M.
    Journal: Swiss Surg; 1996; (3):92-6. PubMed ID: 8681123.
    Abstract:
    Late cardiac tamponade is a very severe condition that presents with subtle signs and symptoms within days or weeks after cardiac surgery. In a consecutive series of 3782 patients, 33 developed this complication, mostly due to overdosage of anticoagulants or to unsafe combination of 2 anticoagulation regimen. Diagnosis can be difficult and is best confirmed by echocardiography; in patients with primary uneventful recovery and sudden cardiocirculatory deterioration, intensive work-up should be performed to exclude or confirm the suspicion of late pericardial tamponade. The treatment of late pericardial tamponade should not be delayed and consists in subxyphoidal drainage. Re-sternotomy might be necessary to assume complete decompression of the heart in case of well-localized and posterior tamponade and/or organized pericardial fluid. Since this complication can happen in any patient transferred to peripheral hospital for postoperative recovery after cardiac surgery, we believe that this complication should be recognized very early and should be treated, in case of necessity, by general surgeons. Usually, no active bleeding is found at revision.
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