[Cardiac tamponade caused by vascular erosion. A case report]

Cardiac tamponade may be caused by erosion of the right cardiac walls or of the intrapericardial superior vena cava in subjects with a central venous catheter. The underlying cause of this rare complication is direct parietal trauma by the catheter and endarterial damage produced by infused hyperosmolar solutions. High mortality is closely related to erroneous or late diagnosis. Both correct positioning techniques and the use of soft venous catheters are fundamentally important in preventing this complication.