Home / Diseases of the cardiovascular system / Cardiac tamponade

Cardiac tamponade

Cardiac tamponade is a severe pathological process, which consists in the compression of the myocardium on the outside and the termination rate. Most often found as a complication of pericarditis after trauma. Status refers to the life-threatening and requires immediate intervention, without it, the patient dies.

The role of the pericardium in cardiac tamponade

Heart and initial parts of the large vessels are placed in the SAC around the heart formed by the sheets of the pericardium. In its cavity is a transparent light liquid. It is needed to facilitate the sliding motion during cardiac contractions. The amount of liquid sufficient to "grease" - 20 -30 ml.

Found that heart bag is very resistant: it can bear a pressure of about 2 ATM to accommodate the gradual intake to 1l of liquid. The main task of the bag to protect the myocardium from distension. However, quick filling even with the volume at 200 ml causes a sudden increase in pressure inside the sheets of the pericardium compresses the myocardium and its neuro-muscular system, large vessels.

It is known that in the veins of the thorax and right atrium to ensure the physiological action of the suction pressure is maintained negative. The increase in pressure due to the compression of a mouth of hollow veins violates the filling of the heart in the diastolic phase leads to circulatory disorder.

What is pinched heart?

Causes of cardiac tamponade due to main affecting factors.

Diseases with increased effusion in the heart bag (hydroperiod) cause pericardial effusion. Depending on the characteristics of fluid it is called:

  • fibrinous,
  • purulent,
  • serous,
  • hemorrhagic,
  • putrid.

There are other forms. Pericarditis most often occurs when:

  • rheumatism;
  • tuberculosis;
  • renal failure with azotemia, uremia;
  • infectious diseases (typhus, dysentery, tularemia, measles, erysipelas, syphilis, cholera, strep throat, meningitis);
  • leukemia, Hodgkin's disease;
  • severe fungal — actinomycosis.

A more rare cause is the accumulation of air in a closed heart bag (pneumopericardium). Only in 10% of cases occur in isolation. Usually pre should significantly increase the pressure inside the lung tissue. Pathology occurs when:

  • the wounds in the chest area, barotrauma;
  • the medical procedures (sternal puncture, intubation, endoscopy, mechanical ventilation with high blood pressure on the exhale), described cases of pneumopericardium the child after tooth extraction;
  • the formation of a fistula (communication with hollow body) esophagus gastric ulcer, with a light (as a result of staphylococcal pneumonia, prolongedasthma attack), with the transverse colon in the subphrenic abscess;
  • 2% of premature newborns.

Clinical manifestations