Veterinary Technologist Toronto Animal Health Partners Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
Disclosure(s):
Michelle Ronco, RVT: No financial relationships to disclose
An extremely rare case of an intrapericardial cyst with the absence of peritoneopericardial diaphragmatic hernia (PPDH), which has only 2 reported cases in literature. This space occupying cyst resulted in four chamber dilation, ascites, and pericardial effusion resulting in cardiac tamponade. The patient required an abdomino/pericardiocentesis and ultimately a median thoracotomy and pericardiectomy. The mass was originally not seen on the echocardiogram post pericardiocentesis. The running theory is that it was pierced and “drained” during the pericardiocentesis and since the surrounding structure of the cyst was adipose tissue, it was mistaken for lung or fat.
Learning Objectives:
Define cardiac tamponade and differentiate between acute vs. chronic
List the possible causes of pericardial effusion in canines
