[Pneumopericardium complicating bronchial cancer]

Abstract

We report an observation of pneumopericardium occurring, without iatrogenic trauma in the preceding days, during the course of an epidermoid bronchial carcinoma, treated for a year by radio- and chemotherapy. The pneumopericardium produced a very attenuated clinical picture and was resorbed without incidence. But the patient died a few weeks after an overwhelming haemoptysis. The radiological picture is very characteristic. The differential diagnosis is above all that of a pneumo-mediastinum. But in the latter case, the clear zone exceeds the level of the great vessels and subcutaneous cervical emphysema in generally very clear both clinically and radiologically.