[Pathophysiology, clinical and experimental possibilities of pericardial tamponade]

Acute pericardial tamponade is one of the most emergent clinical scenarios in cardiac surgery. With numerous causes in the background, pericardial tamponade can lead to cardiogenic shock and death. In modern diagnostic era, the recognition of pericardial tamponade is simple, but its management and the long-term effects can still be challenging. Without the detailed understanding of the pathophysiological pathways diagnostic and therapeutic management plans of pericardial tamponade is very difficult. The aim of this review was to give a complex picture of pericardial tamponade, from its role in medical history to pathophysiology and its significance in surgical experimental models. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(5): 163-167.