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Spontaneous chylous cardiac tamponade: a case report
Nikolaos Barbetakis1, Christos Asteriou, Dimitrios Konstantinou
1Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, Theagenio Cancer Hospital, Al, Symeonidi 2, Thessaloniki, Greece, 54007. nibarbet@yahoo.gr
Background:
Chylous cardiac tamponade is a rare condition with little known cause.
Case Presentation:
A case of an otherwise healthy woman who admitted with dyspnea and palpitations is presented. She had a history of a painful flexion-hyperextension of the spine. Diagnostic evaluation proved a chylous pericardial effusion with a disruption of the anterior longitudinal spinal ligament. Video-assisted thoracic surgery with mass supradiaphragmatic ligation of the thoracic duct and pericardial window formation was carried out successfully and resulted in the complete cure of the patient's condition.
Conclusion:
Chylous pericardial effusion and subsequent tamponade is a rare entity. Endoscopic surgery is offering a safe and effective treatment.
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