Pericardiocentesis

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Heart, front view

Pericardium

Pericardial tap; Percutaneous pericardiocentesis

• Bleeding
• Collapsed lung
• Heart attack
• Infection (pericarditis)
• Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias)
• Puncture of the heart muscle, coronary artery, lung, liver, or stomach
• Pneumopericardium (air in the pericardial sac)

Review Date: 06/01/2010
Reviewed By: Issam Mikati, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Director, Northwestern Clinic Echocardiography Lab, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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