The perioperative management of pericardial tamponade.

A case report of a patient with acute pericardial tamponade is presented. The etiology, pathophysiology, and management of cardiac tamponade is discussed. Preoperative management includes volume expansion, administration of catecholamines, and pericardiocentesis. Intraoperatively, monitoring should include continuous measurement of arterial and central venous pressures. Ketamine has been found to be very useful in these patients.