Chronic expanding intrapericardial hematoma after pericardial paracentesis.

Chronic expanding intrapericardial hematoma (CEIH) is rare. A thorough search of literature revealed a few cases after open heart surgery, chest trauma, or epicardial injury. We report the case of a 72-year-old man presenting with a large CEIH and constrictive pericarditis, who had no past history of the above conditions but had undergone pericardiocentesis four years earlier. The cause of the initial hemorrhage of the hematoma might be due to a scratch by a needle during pericardial paracentesis. The hematoma had expanded during a course of four years. The hematoma was removed surgically, and there has been no sign of recurrence 17 months after the operation.