Cardiac tamponade due to ingested gastric foreign body

Laboratory tests showed a leucocytosis (38.5x109/l), renal impairment (urea 11.1 mmol/l, creatinine 252 μmol/l), and raised levels of C reactive protein (497 mg/l) and alanine transferase (4228 IU/l). DISCUSSION Pyopericardium is rare and usually secondary to pericarditis or systemic infections. 2 There have been a few case reports of cardiac tamponade caused by oesophageal foreign bodies. 3 However, this is the first reported case in which an ingested gastric foreign body has caused pericardial injury resulting in cardiac tamponade and pyopericardium.