Echocardiographic manifestations of tense pericardial effusion.
Publication/Presentation Date
8-1-1985
Abstract
Echocardiography has emerged as a sensitive study in the evaluation of pericardial effusion. The specificity of echocardiographic signs in cardiac tamponade remains undefined, however. Two such signs, early diastolic collapse of the right ventricular free wall and late diastolic collapse of the right atrial wall, were observed in two patients without clinical evidence of cardiac tamponade. Increased intrapericardial pressure was documented in each patient. Accumulation of pericardial fluid under high pressure results in a reversal of the instantaneous transmural pressure gradients in early and late diastole, causing collapse of the right ventricular and the right atrial wall, respectively; however, such a tense pericardial effusion may not cause hemodynamic embarrassment severe enough to yield clinical signs of cardiac tamponade.
Volume
6
Issue
2
First Page
467
Last Page
470
ISSN
0735-1097
Published In/Presented At
Naggar, C. Z., Dillon, W. D., Butterly, J. R., & Malacoff, R. F. (1985). Echocardiographic manifestations of tense pericardial effusion. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 6(2), 467–470. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0735-1097(85)80187-x
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
4019931
Department(s)
Department of Medicine
Document Type
Article