Catheter lavage and drainage of pneumococcal pericarditis.

An 88 year old woman with streptococcal pneumonia developed purulent pericarditis and cardiac tamponade despite treatment with antibiotics. Percutaneous pericardial drainage was effected with a 6 French pigtail catheter inserted via the subxyphoid approach. Catheter drainage was continued for 7 days in conjunction with systemic antibiotics. Catheter patency was maintained with antibiotic lavage. Immediate hemodynamic improvement followed the initial pericardial drainage. Fever, leukocytosis, and sepsis resolved during the course of therapy. The patient recovered fully from the closed space bacterial infection without additional surgical drainage. There has been no recurrence of streptococcal infection and no echocardiographic evidence of recurrent pericardial effusion after 3 months of follow-up. Indwelling catheter drainage combined with antibiotics may be an effective substitute for surgical drainage in the treatment of streptococcal pericarditis.