[Cardiac tamponade due to pericardial metastases of an unknown primary tumor].

BACKGROUND: the pericardiocenthesis is indicated as treatment of cardiac tamponade. The prevention of recurrences can be achieve by pericardial instillation of sclerosing agents, radionuclide agents as well as external beam radiotherapy that had given good results in radiosensitivity tumors. Pericardial window, pleuropericardiotomy, pericardiectomie and percutaneous pericardiotomie, are used when the pericardiocenthesis cannot be carried out. CLINICAL CASE: a female patient, 34 years with cardiac tamponade was attended in the emergency room due to hemopericardium and pericardial metastases of unknown primary tumor. She was managed with pericardial window and systemic chemotherapy. After two year, she is alive without evidence of pericardial effusion recurrence and without evidence of tumor activity. CONCLUSIONS: pericardiocentesis is an indication in cardiac tamponade. The multimodal treatment provides better results in patients with metastases to the pericardium and cardiac tamponade. It includes local and systemic chemotherapy and radiation therapy.