The intraoperative management of patients with pericardial tamponade

Abstract

The anesthetic management of patients with pericardial tamponade is challenging, as they present with not only the cardiovascular compromise that defines pericardial tamponade, but often have comorbid conditions that increase the complexity of their management. This review describes the pathophysiology, etiology, clinical presentation, and anesthetic management of patients with pericardial tamponade, with an emphasis on the intraoperative period and the management of pericardial window procedures, the most common clinical scenario where anesthesiologists will encounter pericardial tamponade.