TY - JOUR
T1 - Novel use of a disposable digital pressure transducer to increase the safety of pericardiocentesis
AU - Visweswaran, Gautam K.
AU - Lightfoot, James
AU - Gilchrist, Ian
PY - 2013/1/1
Y1 - 2013/1/1
N2 - Cardiac tamponade represents a medical emergency necessitating emergent pericardiocentesis. Use of two-dimensional echocardiography (ECHO) has improved the safety of pericardiocentesis, but procedural challenges may occur when performed in an emergent manner outside of the catheterization laboratory without availability of fluoroscopy and readily available pressure transducers. The most problematic situation is the initial finding of bloody fluid on aspiration where intrapericardial versus intravascular location of the needle must be determined. We report two cases of cardiac tamponade managed with the use of a novel, disposable lightweight digital pressure transducer to directly measure intrapericardial pressures during an ECHO guided pericardiocentesis. In both cases the fluid initially encountered was grossly bloody and rapid definition of whether this was pericardial fluid versus an inappropriately located needle in the vascular space was critical. This type of novel, disposable self contained manometer has the potential to further minimize complications associated with pericardiocentesis. It offers a cost effective alternative and answers questions about the shifting point of service for pericardiocentesis from the invasive cath lab to less costly locations (Drummond, et al., J Am Soc Echocardiogr 1998;11:433-435).
AB - Cardiac tamponade represents a medical emergency necessitating emergent pericardiocentesis. Use of two-dimensional echocardiography (ECHO) has improved the safety of pericardiocentesis, but procedural challenges may occur when performed in an emergent manner outside of the catheterization laboratory without availability of fluoroscopy and readily available pressure transducers. The most problematic situation is the initial finding of bloody fluid on aspiration where intrapericardial versus intravascular location of the needle must be determined. We report two cases of cardiac tamponade managed with the use of a novel, disposable lightweight digital pressure transducer to directly measure intrapericardial pressures during an ECHO guided pericardiocentesis. In both cases the fluid initially encountered was grossly bloody and rapid definition of whether this was pericardial fluid versus an inappropriately located needle in the vascular space was critical. This type of novel, disposable self contained manometer has the potential to further minimize complications associated with pericardiocentesis. It offers a cost effective alternative and answers questions about the shifting point of service for pericardiocentesis from the invasive cath lab to less costly locations (Drummond, et al., J Am Soc Echocardiogr 1998;11:433-435).
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U2 - 10.1002/ccd.24336
DO - 10.1002/ccd.24336
M3 - Article
C2 - 22552849
AN - SCOPUS:84871722858
SN - 1522-1946
VL - 81
SP - E68-E71
JO - Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions
JF - Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions
IS - 1
ER -