[Pneumopericardium complicating bronchial cancer]

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Oncology
• Radiology

Background:

• This case involves a patient with a history of epidermoid bronchial carcinoma undergoing long-term radio- and chemotherapy.
• The study focuses on an unusual complication that arose during the course of cancer treatment.

Observation:

• An instance of pneumopericardium (air in the pericardial sac) was noted.
• This occurred spontaneously, without any preceding iatrogenic trauma.
• The pneumopericardium presented with subtle clinical signs.

Findings:

• The pneumopericardium was resorbed without complications.
• Despite the benign course of the pneumopericardium, the patient later succumbed to overwhelming hemoptysis.
• Radiological imaging provided characteristic features for diagnosis, distinguishing it from pneumomediastinum.

Implications:

• This case highlights a rare, non-iatrogenic pneumopericardium in the context of lung cancer treatment.
• It underscores the importance of considering rare complications even when clinical presentation is mild.
• The fatal outcome from hemoptysis, despite the resolution of pneumopericardium, warrants further investigation into potential treatment-related or disease-related factors.