Localized pericardial tamponade: difficult echocardiographic diagnosis of a rare complication after cardiac surgery.

We report 2 cases of localized pericardial tamponade occurring soon after cardiac surgery, in which the diagnosis could not be made with transthoracic echocardiography. Computed tomography and transesophageal echocardiography, respectively, were necessary, and this underlies the importance of alternative imaging modalities when this condition is suspected. A high index of suspicion is crucial for reaching the correct diagnosis.