Pericardial effusion presenting with anuric acute renal failure and hepatocellular damage.

Abstract

A 50-year-old male with anuria, creatinine of 5.5 and potassium of 6.5 was referred to our hospital for hemodialysis. Before hemodialysis could be initiated, his blood pressure dropped and liver function tests were found to be increasing rapidly. This prompted us to look for cardiac causes of liver ischemia. An echocardiogram was non-diagnostic due to the patient's obese body habitus. Pericardial fluid was documented on CT scan. Pericardiocentesis was performed and nearly 1500 ml of bloody pericardial fluid was removed. This resulted in immediate urine output, with 80 ml in the first hour, and an increase in blood pressure.