Cardiothoracic & vascular anesthesia
Bedside Pericardiocentesis and Pericardial Drain Placement by Critical Care Physicians After Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors' conclusion
In this patient population, pericardiocentesis was safely performed by cardiothoracic ICU physicians at the bedside and was associated with a low rate of subsequent surgical drainage.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with postoperative pericardial effusion after cardiac surgery requiring bedside ultrasound-guided pericardiocentesis and pericardial drain placement by cardiothoracic intensive care unit (ICU) physicians (95-bed cardiothoracic ICU, 2018–2023)entered into the analysis
- Participants
- 324 adults
- Outcome
- Need for OR drainage after percutaneous drainage
Methodological detailssingle-centre
- Single-centre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Surgical drainage required
Required surgical drainage, events
18
Required surgical drainage, %
5.56%
95% CI 3.06%, 8.05%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
Predictors of surgical drainage
- Initial drainage volume, surgical drainage vs not (p = 0.03)
- 400 mL [250, 500] v 175 mL [93, 525]
- Tamponade as indication, surgical drainage vs not (p < 0.01)
- 39% v 8%
- OR of reoperation with tamponade as indication
- 9.61 (95% CI 3.35, 17.6, p < 0.01)
- OR of reoperation with shorter time from index surgery to pericardiocentesis
- 1.04 (95% CI 1.01, 1.07, p < 0.01)
Safety
Composite of serious adverse events (significant site bleeding, cardiac tamponade, cardiac perforation, cardiac ischemia from coronary artery injury, hemothorax, pneumothorax)
- No serious adverse events observed
Original publication
Bedside Pericardiocentesis and Pericardial Drain Placement by Critical Care Physicians After Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. Published 1 November 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →