Pericardial Effusion

Excerpt

Pericardial effusion refers to fluid accumulation within the connective tissue sac surrounding the heart (see Video. Large Pericardial Effusion). The pericardial sac is composed of the thin visceral pericardium, which consists of a single layer of cells adherent to the cardiac epicardium, and the thicker, fibrous parietal pericardium composed of collagen and elastin, which adheres to the lungs, diaphragm, sternum, great vessels, and other mediastinal structures surrounding the heart. The pericardial sac contains between 15 mL and 50 mL of serous fluid in a healthy individual.