Pericardial effusions result from a wide range of pathology, with presentations ranging from an incidental finding to a life-threatening emergency. Common causes of pericardial effusions include infection, inflammatory conditions, neoplasm, trauma, and iatrogenic. The pericardium, which is a fibroelastic sac containing the heart and the proximal great vessels, normally contains 10 to 50 mL of a serous ultrafil-trate of plasma produced by the visceral pericardium.2 The pericardium and the pericardial fluid together serve to prevent sudden dilatation of the heart and significant movement of the great vessels, minimize friction between the heart and the surrounding structures, and help prevent the spread of disease from the pleura or the lungs.
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