Yeungnam Univ J Med.  2020 Jan;37(1):63-66. 10.12701/yujm.2019.00311.

Purulent pericarditis: subdiaphragmatic suppurative focus

• Choi KU
• Lee CH

• KMID: 2501410
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12701/yujm.2019.00311

Abstract

Purulent pericarditis is defined as a localized pericardial infection with gross pus formation in the pericardial space. Although purulent pericarditis is now rare in the antibiotic era, it may be life-threatening. We describe a rare case of purulent pericarditis that originated from a subdiaphragmatic suppurative focus in an immunocompromised host.

Keyword

Colorectal cancer; Escherichia coli; Pericarditis; Suppuration

Figure

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  Fig. 1. (A) A chest X-ray shows an enlarged cardiac silhouette with pulmonary congestion. (B, C) A non-contrast chest computed tomography reveals large pericardial (arrowheads) and pleural effusions (B, coronal view; C, planar view). (D) The subxiphoid view of the echocardiography shows a large (about 2 cm) pericardial effusion (arrowheads) with inhomogeneous echogenicity.

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  Fig. 2. Pericardial pus with a turbid yellowish brown color, which was drained via pericardiocentesis.

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  Fig. 3. The abdominal computed tomography (A, coronal view; B, planar view) shows segmental wall thickening (arrows) of the rectosigmoid junction with adjacent free air (arrowheads).

Reference

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