cardiac tamponade

One cause of obstructive shock
Etiology - Traumatic - Chest and lung injury
- Infective (Tuberculosis), malignancy, uraemia
- Pericarditis - post-MI
- iatrogenic - post-sternotomy, more commonly for heart transplant or valve surgery
clinical presentation - SOB (most sensitive symptom)
- Refractory shock = obstructive = tachycardia, tachypnoea, hypotension
- Beck's triad = muffled heart sounds, hypotension, raised CVP
- Distended neck veins
- Pulsus paradoxus (visible on ECG or arterial waveform = ↓ BP during inspiration)
- Kussmaul's sign = ↑ JVP on inspiration
Diagnostic investigations Echo: RV diastolic collapse, dilated IVC
ECG: low-voltage QRS complexes, electrical alternans
Differentials Cardiogenic shock, restrictive cardiomyopathy
Immediate management - Thoracotomy - if traumatic mechanism is sharp penetrating injury, otherwise pericardiocentesis
- HR control if inappropriately normal or bradycardic
- Drain before sedation/IPPV
Ongoing management - Risk of recurrence, cardiogenic shock