Pneumopericardium secondary to oesophageal cancer presenting as myocardial infarction: a case report

Abstract

Abstract The diagnosis of pneumopericardium can be challenging, as the symptoms are sometimes non‐specific and can mimic those of other diseases. Especially, focal pneumopericardium presenting with regional ST‐segment elevation on the electrocardiogram can be difficult to diagnose. Here, we present the case of a patient with pneumopericardium secondary to oesophageal cancer that was first diagnosed with community‐acquired pneumonia and subsequently classified with acute coronary syndrome after an episode of cardiac arrest. The most prominent indication initially observed in this case was the history of oesophageal cancer and the presence of radiolucent areas in the heart under pleural effusion. When an unknown origin collapse develops in patients with oesophageal cancer, pneumopericardium should always be excluded, especially in cases where the cardiogenic shock is strongly suspected.

Keywords

• Community‐acquired pneumonia
• myocardial infarction
• oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma
• pneumopericardium