ABSTRACT
A case of organizing hemopericardium and cardiac tamponade in a patient with a permanent endocardial pacemaker who was maintained on anticoagulation is presented. The hemopericardium is concluded as solely due to the anticoagulation. A new auscultatory finding attributable to an endocardial pacemaker and a helpful radiographic sign of pericardial effusion in patients with these pacemakers is described.
Subject(s)
Heart Auscultation , Pacemaker, Artificial , Pericardial Effusion/chemically induced , Warfarin/adverse effects , Cardiac Tamponade/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pericardial Effusion/diagnosis , Pericardial Effusion/diagnostic imaging , RadiographyABSTRACT
Pulmonary varix is a rare finding; only 35 documented cases have been reported. The first case was described in 1843 as an icidental postmortem finding. The first clinical diagnosis was not made until 1951. In more than half of the 35 cases, the varix was present in the absence of congenital and acquired heart disease. Six patients have had concomitant mitral rheumatic heart disease. This communication describes the second patient with rheumatic mitral regurgitation in whom the pulmonary varix became radiographically invisible after prosthetic mitral valve replacement.