Biomaterial Database

Cardiac tamponade: a rare but life-threatening complication of central venous catheters in children. 1998

K C van Engelenburg, and C Festen

Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

The widespread use of central venous catheters in the treatment of pediatric patients has caused an increased incidence of complications. A rare, but potentially fatal complication occurs when the heart is perforated by the catheter tip causing a cardiac tamponade. This perforation of the heart generally is associated with the insertion procedure, but may also occur after some time because of displacement of the catheter tip. The authors present three cases in which the placement of a central venous catheter resulted in lethal cardiac tamponade. Proper positioning of the catheter tip in the superior vena cava and a high index of suspicion are essential in preventing this serious complication. Contrast-enhanced chest x-ray after insertion of the catheter must be performed to ascertain a correct position of the tip.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007234	Infant, Premature	A human infant born before 37 weeks of GESTATION.	Neonatal Prematurity,Premature Infants,Preterm Infants,Infant, Preterm,Infants, Premature,Infants, Preterm,Premature Infant,Prematurity, Neonatal,Preterm Infant
D007235	Infant, Premature, Diseases	Diseases that occur in PREMATURE INFANTS.
D002305	Cardiac Tamponade	Compression of the heart by accumulated fluid (PERICARDIAL EFFUSION) or blood (HEMOPERICARDIUM) in the PERICARDIUM surrounding the heart. The affected cardiac functions and CARDIAC OUTPUT can range from minimal to total hemodynamic collapse.	Pericardial Tamponade,Cardiac Tamponades,Pericardial Tamponades,Tamponade, Cardiac,Tamponade, Pericardial,Tamponades, Cardiac,Tamponades, Pericardial
D002405	Catheterization, Central Venous	Placement of an intravenous CATHETER in the subclavian, jugular, or other central vein.	Central Venous Catheterization,Venous Catheterization, Central,Catheterization, Central,Central Catheterization,Catheterizations, Central,Catheterizations, Central Venous,Central Catheterizations,Central Venous Catheterizations,Venous Catheterizations, Central
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D017809	Fatal Outcome	Death resulting from the presence of a disease in an individual, as shown by a single case report or a limited number of patients. This should be differentiated from DEATH, the physiological cessation of life and from MORTALITY, an epidemiological or statistical concept.	Fatal Outcomes,Outcome, Fatal,Outcomes, Fatal