Pericardial Effusion: Types, Causes, Signs/Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment

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Pericardial Effusion:

Pericardial is a serious medical condition caused due to the excess accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac that surrounds the heart.

Causes For Pericardial Effusion:

• Hepatic Failure
• Cancer
• Renal Failure
• Pericardial Inflammation (Pericarditis)
• Heart Failure
• Trauma
• Nutritional Deficiencies
• Acute leukemia
• Rupture Of Heart Due To Myocardial Infarction
• Trauma Following CPR, etc.

Types Of Pericardial Effusion:

1. Serous Pericardial Effusion:

In this type of effusion, there is an excess accumulation of a clear, straw color, watery fluid with a specific gravity of 1.015 in the pericardial cavity.

The major causes for the serous pericardial effusion are nutritional deficiencies, failure of the organs like the heart, liver, or kidney.

2. Cholesterol Pericardial Effusion:

This is a rare condition that occurs due to the accumulation of crystals of cholesterol in the pericardial sac.

This type of effusion is seen in the conditions like hypothyroidism (myxoedema).

3. Chylous Pericardial Effusion:

In this type of pericardial effusion, the pericardial sac consists of high collection milky fluid.

This milky fluid penetrates into the Pericardial space due to the consequences of lymphatic obstruction.

4. Hemopericardium:

hemopericardium is a serious condition in which there is an accumulation of blood in the pericardial cavity surrounding the heart.

It is a condition caused due to:

• Bleeding disorders like acute leukemia, scurvy, or thrombocytopenia
• Penetrative chest injuries
• Rupture of dissecting aneurysm
• Rupture of heart wall due to myocardial infarction
• Trauma followed by cardiopulmonary resuscitation

5. Serosanguineus Pericardial Effusion:

It is a type of effusion resulting due to a yellowish accumulation of serum and blood in the pericardial space.

Serosanguineus pericardial effusion is caused due to malignancy or blunt trauma to the chest wall after the CPR procedure.

Signs And Symptoms Of Pericardial Effusion:

Signs and symptoms of pericardial effusion depend on the quantity of fluid accumulated in the pericardial sac. The common symptoms occurring are:

• Fatigue
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomit
• Difficulty In Breathing
• Fainting
• Muscle Aches
• Diarrhea due to infection
• Chest Pain
• Abdominal Fullness, etc.

Diagnostic Test For Pericardial Effusion:

1. Chest X-ray: 

This technique helps to detect the fluid present in the pericardial sac.

2. CT Or MRI Scanning:

This technique is alternate to chest X-ray and determines the presence of fluid in the pericardial cavity.

3. Echocardiography (Echo):

Echo is done to examine the normal structure and function of walls and valves involved in cardiac activity. In pericardial effusion, the echo shows enlarged pericardial space.

4. Electrocardiography (ECG):

ECG is a diagnostic test to trace the activity of the heart. But in the case of pericardial effusion, the normal function of the heart is disturbed and the graph shows the R wave diminished.

Treatment/ Management Of Pericardial Effusion:

1. Pericardial Fluid Aspiration: Removal of fluid accumulation.
2. Open Heart Surgery: fluid can also be drained during open-heart surgeries.
3. Pericardiectomy: Dissection of pericardium for the removal of fluid.
4. Medications: Few medicines are used for minor fluid accumulations.
5. Radiations Or Chemotherapy: Effusion is treated using radiation.

Complications Of Pericardial Effusion:

• Pericardial Tamponade
• Shock
• Decreases Renal Perfusion
• Cor Pulmonale
• Might Lead To Renal Failure
• Damage To The Pericardium, etc.

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