Pericarditis purulenta y empiema pleural por Streptococcus pneumoniae

Abstract

We present the case of a 59 years old woman with no previous clinical history of disease who was admitted in our ICU due to respiratory failure and hemodynamic inestabillity. She was found to have purulent pericarditis due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, complicated by masive pericardial effusion and pleural empyema. A pericardial tap was performed unsuccessfully and finally pericardial effusion was evacuated by surgical drainage. Pleural empyema was also evacuated. She received antibiotical treatment and recovered with normalisation of heart function. Copyright © 2007 Aran Ediciones, S.L.