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- Title
The "airgap" and "swirling bubbles" signs in a patient with esophageal carcinoma.
- Authors
Pinto, Tiago Castro; Martins, Tiago; Seabra, Daniel; Moreno, Nuno
- Abstract
Introduction: Pneumopericardium is a dreaded complication in esophageal carcinoma. Case description: We report a case of a 62 year old patient with past history of esophageal cancer with pneumopericardium, without hemodynamic compromise. Admission echocardiogram that revealed a pneumopericadium with the presence of the "swirling bubbles" and the "air gap" sign. A small esophagopericardial fistula was postulated as the cause of the pneumopericardium. He underwent esophageal stent placement with almost complete resolution of the pneumopericardium. Discussion: Pneumopericardium is usually a sign of marked clinical deterioration in neoplasia and leads to patients' death few weeks. Here we presented a case, in which a more fortunate and unusual outcome happened. Case description: We present a case of a 62 year old patient, with a past history of esophageal cancer with pulmonary metastases undergoing palliative chemotherapy treatment and with two palliative esophageal stents. Other past medical history included active hepatitis B, arterial hypertension and dyslipidaemia. He was an ex smoker of 80 pack‐year units.
- Subjects
CANCER chemotherapy; SURGICAL stents; PNEUMOPERICARDIUM; CANCER patients; DEATH; ESOPHAGEAL tumors; DISEASE complications
- Publication
Echocardiography, 2023, Vol 40, Issue 3, p252
- ISSN
0742-2822
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/echo.15511