Pericardial thrombosis that complicates pericardial bleeding is a life-threatening emergency in interventional cardiology, and surgery remains the only definitive treatment option. We report the first case of successful intrapericardial thrombus aspiration using a dedicated thrombus aspiration catheter in the early stage of pericardial thrombosis.
A 76-year-old woman with non-valve atrial fibrillation underwent percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure for secondary prevention of stroke. A 24-mm Watchman device was deployed under fluoroscopic guidance. Post-deployment angiography revealed LAA perforation, which led to the rapid onset of cardiac tamponade. Emergency pericardiocentesis was performed and the deep-seated device was redeployed at a more proximal position to seal the distal perforation. Pericardial bleeding was controlled after the drainage of 400 ml of blood. However, the patient re-developed cardiac tamponade following a period of stability. The patient was diagnosed with early-stage pericardial thrombosis based on echocardiographic findings of a hypoechoic effusion in the pericardial space. Thrombus aspiration using a pigtail catheter and long sheath failed; however, we performed successful intrapericardial thrombus aspiration using a dedicated thrombus aspiration catheter. We drained 120 ml of sludge-like blood, and the patient underwent successful conservative management without surgical intervention.
This case report highlights the potential usefulness of a percutaneous intrapericardial thrombus aspiration technique using a dedicated thrombus aspiration catheter in selected patients with early-stage pericardial thrombosis, as a less invasive alternative to cardiac surgery.