Pericardial Effusion
• Has some valve if patient is too ill to move by showing the increased area of dullness due to pericardial effusion.
Pericardial Effusion
- Accumulation of fluid in pericardial sac
- Types: transudates (heart failure), exudates (infection), blood (hemopericardium), chyle (lymph)
- Normal pericardial fluid: 15–50 mL
- Large effusion → cardiac tamponade
Read this in CARDIOVASCULAR PATHOLOGY
What our notes say
- • Has some valve if patient is too ill to move by showing the increased area of dullness due to pericardial effusion. (Cardiovascular system examination revised 2012 — Past Paper Questions & Answers)
- On chest CT scan, the pleural effusions, as well as a pericardial effusion, are seen. (Immunopathology complete mcqs — Past Paper Questions & Answers)
- Pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, dysphagia (oesophagus). (Lung Cancer)
- Examination: goitre or neck nodes, hair and nail changes, carpal tunnel signs (Tinel, Phalen), pericardial effusion, ascites, ankle oedema, mental state and the ankle reflex relaxation time. (Integrated case paper: Medicine, Surgery, Gynaecology and Paediatrics (160 marks)
- TB can cause clubbing (with bronchiectasis), spinal gibbus and pericardial effusion. (Internal Medicine (MBIM 4100) special/supplementary exam, Paper Two: 14 August 2)
- 4) Impalpable due to conditions e.g. emphysema, pleural effusion, obesity and pericardial effusion (Cardiovascular system examination revised 2012 — Past Paper Questions & Answers)
Study material on Pericardial Effusion
Practice questions on Pericardial Effusion
A 31-year-old woman has bilateral pleural and pericardial effusions. Anti-ds-DNA is 1:512. If BUN rises to 55 mg/dL, it will most likely result from which pathologic process?
- Amyloid deposition
- Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody
- Atherosclerosis
- Immune complex deposition
Answer: D. SLE causes renal failure through type III hypersensitivity with immune complex deposition in glomeruli. Anti-ds-DNA is highly specific for SLE and correlates with lupus nephritis activity. ---