[Pleural and pericardial effusion after pacemaker implantation as first manifestation of malignant tumors]

We report 2 cases with unusual "complications" after pacemaker implantation. One patient developed hemorrhagic pleural and 1 patient pericardial effusion. Both manifestations of hemorrhage were felt to be due to complications in relation to the pacemaker implantation. However, in both patients cytologic analysis of the effusion revealed malignant cells, in 1 case from an ovarian cell carcinoma, in the other case from an adenocarcinoma of unknown origin. Our report indicates, that under rare circumstances pleural or pericardial effusion after pacemaker implantation may be the first manifestation of a malignant process independent of the pacemaker implantation procedure.