Post-traumatic internal mammary artery pseudoaneurysm: A rare complication of pericardiocentesis

Abstract

Before the advent of ultrasound, percutaneous pericardiocentesis was associated with relatively high mortality and complication rates (6% and 20–50%, respectively) [1–3]. Ultrasound (US)-guided pericardiocentesis has dramatically decreased the incidence of complications by direct visualization of the heart and other adjacent vital structures. US helps localize the size and location of the pericardial effusion, measure the distance from the chest wall, localize adjacent, vital organs, and determine the optimal access site to the effusion. We report a case of posttraumatic internal mammary artery pseudoaneurysm, a rare complication of pericardiocentesis.