injuries and poisoning
Cardiac Tamponade
Treatment of Cardiac Tamponade
Removal of blood or fluid from around the heart Cardiac tamponade is a medical emergency. Doctors treat it immediately by using a needle to remove the blood or fluid from around the heart (pericardiocentesis). This procedure relieves pressure on the heart and enables it to beat normally. Sometimes pericardiocentesis fails to remove enough fluid. Then, doctors must make an incision into the chest wall (thoracotomy) and then the pericardium (pericardiotomy) to drain the fluid. They may also need to remove part of the pericardium (pericardiectomy). 