Alfrin Antony

PERICARDIAL FLUID ACCUMILATION Asst Lecturer

Department of pathology
Accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal sac may be watery or +919738286092
prude blood.
There are two types
 Pericardial effusion
 Haemo pericardium
PERICARDIAL EFFUSION (hydropericarium)

INTRODUCTION:-Normally, pericardial cavity contains 30 to 50 ml of clear watery

fluid. Considerable quantities of fluid (up to 1000ml)can be accommodated in the
pericardial cavity without seriously affecting the cardiac function if the accumulation is
slow. But sudden accumulation of a smaller volume (upto250ml) may produce deficient
diastolic filling of the cardiac chambers (cardiac tamponade)

ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY:- layers of heart

DEFINITION:-Accumulation of fluid in the pericardial cavity due to non-inflammatory
causes is called hydro pericardium or pericardial effusion
TYPES:-
 Serous effusions
 Serosanguineous effusion
 Chylous effusion
 Cholesterol effusion
a). SEROUS EFFUSIONS:-This is the most common type Occurring in conditions in
which there is generalized edema e.g: CHF, renal, nutritional and hepatic causes. The
serous effusion is clear, watery, straw-colored with specific cavity less than 1.015
b). SEROSANGUINEOUS EFFUSION:- This type is fond following blunt trauma to
chest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
c). CHYLOUS EFFUSION:- Milky or chylous fluid accumulation in conditions causing
lymphatic obstruction.
d). CHOLESTROL EFFUSION:- This is a rare type of fluid accumulation cauterized
by the presence of cholesterol crystals such as in myxoedema

2.HAEMOPERICARDIUM:-
Accumulation of pure blood in the pericardial sac is termed haemopericardium.(the
condition must be distinguished from hemorrhagic pericarditis in which there is escape of
small quantities of blood into the pericardial cavity. Massive and sudden bleeding into
sudden into sac causes compression of the heart leading to cardiac tamponade
Causes:-
 Rupture of the heart though a myocardial infract
 Rupture of dissecting aneurysm
 Bleeding diathesis such as in scurvy, acute leukaemias, thrombocytopenia,
trauma following cardiopulmonary resuscitation or by laceration of a coronary
artery