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Heart, front view
Heart, front view
Pericardium
Pericardium


Pericardiocentesis

Alternative Names:
Pericardial tap; Percutaneous pericardiocentesis

What the risks are:
  • Puncture of the myocardium (heart muscle) or a coronary artery (vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle)
  • Pneumopericardium (allowing air into the pericardial sac)
  • Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
  • Needle-induced arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats)
  • Infection (pericarditis)
  • Puncture of the lung, liver, or stomach



Review Date: 11/22/2004
Reviewed By: Fabian Arnaldo, M.D., Department of Cardiology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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