Cardiac tamponade as the initial manifestation of acute leukemia: report of a case and review of the literature
Batlle, M.; Ribera, J.M.; Larrousse, E.; Abella, E.; Las Heras, G.; Milla, F.; Junca, J.
Haematologica 76(6): 505-507
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0390-6078 PMID: 1820988 Document Number: 387297
An 18-year-old woman with acute monoblastic leukemia presenting with cardiac tamponade is reported. Subxiphoid pericardiotomy was performed, and blast cells were observed in the pericardial fluid. The leukemia was refractory to chemotherapy and the patient died at three months from diagnosis, without recurrence of the pericardial effusion. In the review of the literature, only ten cases of cardiac tamponade as the first manifestation of acute leukemia have been found.