Pericardial effusion treatment overview


 * Associate Editor-In-Chief: ; Varun Kumar, M.B.B.S

Treatment
Treatment depends on the underlying cause and the severity of the heart impairment. Pericardial effusion due to a viral infection usually goes away within a few weeks without treatment. Some pericardial effusions remain small and never need treatment. If the pericardial effusion is due to a condition such as lupus, treatment with anti-inflammatory medications may help. If the effusion is compromising heart function and causing cardiac tamponade, it will need to be drained, most commonly by a needle inserted through the chest wall and into the pericardial space. A drainage tube is often left in place for several days. In some cases, surgical drainage may be required by pericardiocentesis, in which a needle, and sometimes a catheter are used to drain excess fluid.

Pericardial window is made surgically in patients with recurrent pericardial effusion which drains the fluid into peritonial cavity.

Indications for pericardiocentesis or a pericardial window include the following:
 * Cardiac tamponade
 * For diagnostic purposes if there is suspected purulent, tuberculosis, or neoplastic pericarditis
 * The presence of a large, persistent, symptomatic pericardial effusion