A CASE OF CARDIAC TAMPONADE SECONDARY TO GASTRIC CANCER AFTER CURATIVE GASTRECTOMY

Abstract

The incidence of cardiac involvement by gastric cancer is 2.4% to 7.7% in autopsy. However it is only rarely diagnosed clinically. We report a case of cardiac tamponade caused by gastric cancer after surgical treatment.
A 42-year-old man who had undergone curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer in December 1990 was admitted because of abdominal distention and poor appetite. A diagnosis of cardiac tamponade was made by echocardiography, and the pericardial effusion showed class V cytology. Local infusion of MMC and OK432 into the pericardiac cavity was performed after drainage and it was effective in preventing reaccumulation of the pericardial effusion. The patient died of dyspnea on the 102nd day after the diagnosis. Rapid and appropriate treatment of cardiac tamponade is essential. Cardiac involvement by gastric cancer must be considered in patients with gastric cancer.