Bacterial Pericarditis Accompanied by Sudden Cardiac Tamponade After Transbronchial Needle Aspiration Cytology

A 48-year-old man was referred for an abnormal shadow in his chest x-ray. Transbronchial needle aspiration cytology was performed at the mediastinal necrotic lymph node #7, and he was diagnosed as having small cell carcinoma. Fifteen days after bronchoscopy, sudden cardiac tamponade occurred and pericardial drainage suggested a diagnosis of bacterial pericarditis. He was successfully treated by drainage and administration of antibiotics. Complication of bacterial pericarditis associated with bronchoscopy is rare. However, physicians should watch for the appearance of this condition for up to 3 weeks after bronchoscopy, especially in cases with necrotic lymph nodes.