Division of Paediatric Cardiology, Grantham Hospital, 125 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, China
KS Lun ( 倫建成 ) MBBS(HK), MRCP(UK), FHKAM(Paed)
Department of Paediatrics, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 30 Gascoigne Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
WH Lee ( 李偉航 ) MBBS(HK), FRCP(Edin, Glas), FHKAM(Paed)
Correspondence to: Dr KS Lun
Received May 19, 2001
We report a premature newborn who developed circulatory collapse 46 hours after birth due to cardiac tamponade. Echocardiography revealed large circumferential pericardial effusion. Pericardiocentesis yielded 12 ml of clear straw-colored fluid with high glucose level of 102.9 mmol/L. The neonate improved after the procedure. Pericardial tamponade is a rare complication related to umbilical vein catheter. Nevertheless, this life-threatening complication has to be suspected in newborn presenting with shock after umbilical vein catheterization.