Pneumopericardium

Background

• Generally secondary to connection between pericardium and pleural cavity, bronchi, or GI tract

Differential Diagnosis

Causes of pneumopericardium

• GI malignancy
• PUD
• Esophageal diverticula
• Barotrauma
  • Mechanical ventilation complication
  • SCUBA diving/rapid ascent
  • Drug inhalation (especially associated with crack cocaine)
• Asthma
• Valsalva
• Drug inhalation
• Infectious pericarditis with gas-producing bacteria
• Thoracic surgery
• Pericardial fluid drainage
• Blast injury
• Blunt trauma
• Penetrating trauma
• Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome