Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Pericardial effusion (PE) is a common clinical condition that can develop as a result of systemic or heart disease. In our study, we synthesized the cytopathological and clinical results of patients who underwent pericardiocentesis due to pericardial effusion.

METHODS

213 patients who underwent percutaneous pericardiocentesis between 2007-2017 were included in the study: cytologic and histopathologic diagnoses were noted and their relations were examined.

RESULTS

132 cases were male (61.9%), 81 were female (38.1%) and the mean age was 59.9 (min 13 - max 97). According to cytologic findings; 168 had benign cytology (78.9%), 10 had suspicious cytology (4.6%), 3 had non-diagnostic (1.4%) and 32 had malignant cytology (15.1%). Benign pericardial effusion is the most common diagnosis. Malignant cytology findings were interpreted as 20 (62,5%) lung carcinoma, 1 (3.1%) rhabdomyosarcoma, 2 (6.2%) poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, 4 (12.5%) gastrointestinal system related carcinoma, 1 (3.1%) undifferentiated epithelial tumor, 1 (3.1%) breast carcinoma, and 3 (9%) malignant tumor which were not specified. Four (2.4%) of the 168 patients diagnosed with benign cytology were diagnosed with malignancy previously and there was no malignancy finding in the cytological specimen. Three (30%) of the 10 patients with suspicious cytology, had malignancy diagnosis previously.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

In developed countries, it is reported that more than 50% of the PE's are idiopathic. The percentage of cancer-associated PE's is 10-25%. In our study, 78.9% were benign and 15.1% were malignant PE consistent with the literature. Cytological sampling in pericardial fluid is a method that can shed light on the diagnosis of many diseases.