Cardiac tamponade: an unusual, lifethreatening complication after transhiatal resection of the esophagus

a Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Catharina Hospital, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623 EJ Eindhoven, The Netherlands b Department of General Surgery, Catharina Hospital, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623 EJ Eindhoven, The Netherlands *Corresponding author. Tel.: +31 40 2398680; fax: +31 40 2440268. E-mail address : suzanne.kats{at}catharina-ziekenhuis.nl (S. Kats). Transhiatal resection for carcinoma of the distal esophagus is associated with relative high morbidity and mortality. We present a rare case of cardiac tamponade after transhiatal esophagectomy for which emergency sternotomy was performed. Probably the retraction of the heart during exploration of the mediastinum caused a laceration of an epicardial vein. Although very rare, cardiac tamponade should be considered when hemodynamic instability during or after transhiatal esophagectomy occurs. Key Words: Transhiatal esophagectomy; Complication; Cardiac tamponade