Draining pericardial fluid at pericardiocentesis can rarely precipitate acute heart failure. A patient undergoing pericardiocentesis should be monitored for this complication after the procedure.
Patient selection: pericardiocentesis to drain pericardial fluid
Mechanism: uncertain. One hypothesis is overload secondary to abrupt increase in venous return following release of compression. Another hypothesis is interventricular volume mismatch.
Risk factors:
(1) rapid drainage of a large amount of fluid causing tamponade
