[Pericardiocentesis and drainage].

Diagnosis and treatment of pericardial effusion need to be performed frequently by pericardiocentesis or surgical pericardiotomy. Large retention of the effusion is treated conventionally by percutaneous blind puncture, while possible injuries to the myocardium are avoided feasibly by ultrasonically-guided puncture even in case that the effusion remains moderately or unevenly inside the pericardial space. Along with the puncture, drainage tube introduced into the pericardial sac using coaxial method contributes to relieving coexistent pericardial or chronic exudation. The pericardium is also surgically approached traditionally via parasternal, subxiphoid, or lateral-thoracic route. Specimen of the pericardium is optionally sampled to promote analyzing the pathogenesis, and drainage tubes of larger diameter facilitate evacuating the purulent substance in the settings of infectious origins. The lateral thoracotomy is occasionally applied to the effusion around the posterior aspect of the heart, which is preferably replaced by less-invasive video-assisted procedure. Those several measures would facilitate the treatment for pericardial effusion.