• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.42 no.6
• /
• pp.803-806
• /
• 2009

A 49-year-old man visited our hospital via the emergency room. He had suffered chest trauma by falling down. His chest X-Ray showed pneumomediastinum with pneumopericardium. We checked the Chest CT, and it showed pneumopericardium without any injury to the other organs, the compressed heart and a minimal pneumothorax on the left hemithorax. Closed thoracostomy was then done under local anesthesia. We then performed open pericardiostomy under general anesthesia. We got a good result and so we report on this case.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.464-466
• /
• 2004

Neonatal tension pneumopericardium is a serious disease that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. If untreated, it may lead to cardiac tamponade and death. We report a case of neonatal tension pneumopericardium which was successfully treated by open pericardial window operation with review of literatures.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.50 no.6
• /
• pp.704-709
• /
• 2001

Background : Spontaneous pneumopericardium is a very rare condition. Spontaneous pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum have been reported to be associated with an idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, spontaneous pneumopericardium has not yet been reported in association with IPF. Here we report a case of spontaneous pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium in a patient with acute exacerbation of IPF with a review of the relevant literature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.248-250
• /
• 2002

A 56 year-old man complaining of dry cough, dyspnea, chest pain, fever, and chills was admitted to the emergency room. The patient had a history of esophagectomy and esophagogastrostomy and subsequent radiotherapy because of an esophageal cancer. After the emergency echocardiography revealed a small amount of pericardial effusion and pneumopericardium. Upper GI contrast study showed a fistulous tract between the stomach and the pericardium, and an emergency operation was done under the diagnosis of gastropericardial fistula. The patient expired postoperative seven days later. Gastropericardial fistula caused by a peptic ulcer perforation after the esophagectomy and esophagogastrostomy operation is a very rare complication and brings forth a disastrous result. Early detection using the chest radiography, electrocardiogram, upper Gl study, echocardiography and a review of physical examination, and an immediate treatment are therefore mandatory.