[Cardiac tamponade: a fatal complication of parenteral nutrition]

Several complications are associated with the use of central venous catheters for total parenteral nutrition; cardiac tamponade is one of the most severe. The recent use of flexible materials made of silastic polymeric silicone has great decreased the incidence of this complication, but has not eliminated wholly. We report the case of a patient with fatal cardiac tamponade, while receiving parenteral hyperalimentation trough a silicone central venous catheter placed in the right jugular internal vein, secondary to superior vena cava perforation. The physiopathological mechanisms, precautionary measures and treatment are discussed.