Fatal cardiac tamponade that developed in the post-anesthesia care unit: a rare complication after lung lobectomy / Tamponamento cardíaco fatal desencadeado na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica: uma complicação rara após lobectomia pulmonar

Abstract Background and objectives: Cardiac tamponade is potentially fatal medical condition, which rarely occurs as a complication of lung lobectomy. We present the first case of cardiac tamponade to develop in a Post-Anesthesia Care Unit following a lung lobectomy. Case report: A 54-year-old man with pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma underwent an apparently uncomplicated lung lobectomy. His hemodynamics was unremarkable throughout the surgery and initially in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit. However, after 5 min in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, he suddenly became hypotensive and dyspneic. He responded poorly to inotropics and fluid resuscitation. Transesophageal echocardiography conducted by an anesthesiologist who suspected a cardiac etiology revealed a pericardial effusion compressing the heart. After a failed attempt of pericardiocentesis, an emergency pericardial window operation was performed. The patient improved dramatically once the heart was decompressed. Conclusion: Since cardiac tamponade is generally not suspected as a cause of hemodynamic instability after a lung lobectomy, as it was in this case, a misdiagnosis of the patient's condition may have led to improper management resulting in death. As anesthesiologists are often involved in the initial resuscitation of morbid patients in Post-Anesthesia Care Units, their acquaintance with various postoperative complications and competence in echocardiography for assessing cardiac problems may contribute to patient survival.

Resumo Justificativa e objetivos: O tamponamento cardíaco é uma condição médica potencialmente fatal, cuja ocorrência como uma complicação da lobectomia pulmonar é muito rara. Apresentamos o primeiro caso de tamponamento cardíaco desencadeado na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica (SRPA) após uma lobectomia pulmonar. Relato de caso: Paciente do sexo masculino, 54 anos, com carcinoma de células escamosas pulmonares, submetido à lobectomia pulmonar aparentemente sem complicações. Sua hemodinâmica não apresentou alteração durante toda a cirurgia e também inicialmente na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica. Porém, após cinco minutos na SRPA, o paciente apresentou hipotensão e dispneia de forma repentina e respondeu mal ao inotrópico e à reanimação hídrica. Uma ecocardiografia transesofágica feita por um anestesiologista que suspeitou de etiologia cardíaca revelou um derrame pericárdico que comprimia o coração. Após tentativa malsucedida de pericardiocentese, foi feita uma janela pericárdica de emergência. O paciente apresentou melhoria dramática com a descompressão do coração. Conclusão: Como o tamponamento cardíaco geralmente não é suspeito como causa de instabilidade hemodinâmica após lobectomia pulmonar, como ocorreu neste caso, um diagnóstico errado da condição do paciente poderia ter levado a um manejo inadequado, que resultaria em morte. Como os anestesiologistas estão frequentemente envolvidos na reanimação inicial de pacientes debilitados em salas de recuperação pós-anestésica, seu conhecimento de várias complicações pós-operatórias e competência na ecocardiografia para avaliar problemas cardíacos podem contribuir para a sobrevivência do paciente.

[Fatal cardiac tamponade that developed in the post-anesthesia care unit: a rare complication after lung lobectomy]. / Tamponamento cardíaco fatal desencadeado na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica: uma complicação rara após lobectomia pulmonar.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cardiac tamponade is potentially fatal medical condition, which rarely occurs as a complication of lung lobectomy. We present the first case of cardiac tamponade to develop in a Post-Anesthesia Care Unit following a lung lobectomy. CASE REPORT: A 54-year-old man with pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma underwent an apparently uncomplicated lung lobectomy. His hemodynamics was unremarkable throughout the surgery and initially in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit. However, after 5min in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, he suddenly became hypotensive and dyspneic. He responded poorly to inotropics and fluid resuscitation. Transesophageal echocardiography conducted by an anesthesiologist who suspected a cardiac etiology revealed a pericardial effusion compressing the heart. After a failed attempt of pericardiocentesis, an emergency pericardial window operation was performed. The patient improved dramatically once the heart was decompressed. CONCLUSION: Since cardiac tamponade is generally not suspected as a cause of hemodynamic instability after a lung lobectomy, as it was in this case, a misdiagnosis of the patient's condition may have led to improper management resulting in death. As anesthesiologists are often involved in the initial resuscitation of morbid patients in Post-Anesthesia Care Units, their acquaintance with various postoperative complications and competence in echocardiography for assessing cardiac problems may contribute to patient survival.