Pneumopericardium: a rare complication following pericardiocentesis

Abstract

Pneumopericardium is the presence of air in the pericardial cavity. It is a rare case entity that has been reported most commonly after trauma, or spontaneously without any underlying cause in a healthy adult. Pneumopericardium following pericardiocentesis has been rarely reported in the literature. Pneumopericardium is often self-resolving and rarely requires a pericardial drain for treatment. We report a case of pneumopericardium presented with tamponade physiology following pericardiocentesis for tubercular pericardial effusion, requiring emergency pericardiectomy.