Pneumopericardium after blunt chest trauma: Mechanical ventilation with positive pressure must be avoided

A 38-year-old polytraumatized man was admitted with signs of cardiogenic shock (low blood pressure, tachycardia, tachypnea, and elevated central venous pressure). A near tension pneumopericardium was revealed by thorax CT. Air from the pericardial sac remissed 4 days later conservatively, avoiding invasive or non-invasive mechanical ventilation. The use of positive-pressure ventilation, with or without intubation, would probably lead to tension pneumopericardium-cardiac tamponade, needing emergent decompression. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved