PERCUTANEOUS BALLOON PERICARDIOTOMY FOR MANAGEMENT OF CARDIAC-TAMPONADE IN A PATIENT WITH LUNG-CANCER AND LARGE PERICARDIAL-EFFUSION

We describe the case of a 32-year-old man with lung cancer involving t he pericardium on which we performed pericardiotomy, using a balloon d ilating catheter, to create a non-surgical pericardial window. For the percutaneous creation of pericardial window we advanced into the peri cardium by subxiphoid approach a 0.035 inch guide wire through a 7f. p ig-tail catheter. Subsequently a 22 mm diameter, 4 cm long balloon dil ating catheter was advanced to the parietal pericardium and inflated f or about 60 seconds until a tear in the pericardium was formed. We bel ieve that percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy is helpful in the manage ment of large pericardial effusions particularly in patients with mali gnancies and poor condition.