Unexpected Cardiac Arrest due to Extrapericardial Tamponade: Beware of Hemomediastinum!

Cardiac tamponade resulting from hemopericardium after a thoracic trauma is a relatively common occurrence. We report on 2 cases of extrapericardial cardiac tamponade, a condition that is definitely less common although potentially life threatening. Both patients underwent sternotomic cardiac decompression and were transferred to ICU: the first patient died of neurological damage, the second patient was discharged on day six after surgery. The aim of the present report is to focus on the hemomediastinum, and in particular to stress the fact that a chest trauma apparently stabilized can suddenly lead to an extrapericardial tamponade.