A 67-year-old man with cardiac air tamponade: a case report

Abstract

Pneumopericardium is a rare entity, primarily described as a result of causes such as penetrating/blunt trauma and procedures, aspergillosis, and diaphragmatic hernia. Malignancy history has also emerged as a new cause. A 67-year-old man with a history of active cancer presented to the emergency department with the chief complaint of shortness of breath and hemoptysis. He had low blood pressure and tachycardia along with hypoxia. The thoracic computed tomography (CT) imaging revealed a right pulmonary mass, central necrosis, and anterior pneumopericardium and gas adjacent to the right pericardial border.Patients with small, stable, asymptomatic pneumopericardium may be treated conservatively with close monitoring to prevent escalation to cardiac tamponade. Prompt decompression is advised if there are progressive symptoms, a concurrent pneumothorax, or cardiac tamponade.