Cardiac tamponade and bilateral pleural effusion in a very low birth weight infant.

A very low birth weight premature newborn developed a sudden cardiac tamponade due to parenteral fluid extravasation 1 month after central line insertion. Besides tensive pericardial effusion a bilateral pleural effusion also developed. An emergency pericardiocentesis was really life-saving and after pleural fluid removal a complete cardiorespiratory recovery was obtained. Pericardial and bilateral pleural effusions very rarely coexist as a complication of central line extravasation.