Cardiac tamponade in Ilesa, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: There is a dearth of information on cardiac tamponade in children in Nigeria.
Objective: To review the frequency, aetiology and outcome of cardiac tamponade in children in Ilesa, Nigeria.
Design: A descriptive retrospective hospital-based study.
Setting: The children’s emergency room (CHER), Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa.
Subjects: All post-neonatal aged children with diagnosis of cardiac tamponade over a seven year period (2001 – 2007).
Results: Of the 8,813 CHER admissions, cardiac tamponade was diagnosed in only 16 (0.2%) children (11 boys and 5 girls). The leading aetiologies were Staphylococcus aureus pericarditis (6 cases), blunt chest injury (4 cases) and tuberculosis pericarditis (3 cases). The mean (SD) was 5.6 (3.1) years. Recurrence was observed in 3/12 (25.0%) of the non-traumatic cases. The mortality was 10/ 16 (62.5%) with 100% case fatality recorded following trauma and 66.7% and 50.0% following tuberculous and staphylococcal pericarditis respectively.
Conclusion: The incidence of cardiac tamponade in children in Ilesa, Nigeria seems low but the mortality is unacceptably high. Prompt diagnosis and improved interventional facilities are required.