Loculated pericardial hematoma diagnosed with point-of-care ultrasound

Pericardial hematoma is a rare but potentially lifethreatening consequence following cardiac surgery that requires prompt recognition and intervention.Patients can present with symptoms such as chest pain, dyspnea, tachycardia, and hypotension, which may mimic other post-operative issues.Loculated pericardial hematoma compressing the atria might be difficult to diagnose.Bleeding and hematoma are more common in patients receiving early anticoagulant therapy.A focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis, revealing the presence of pericardial effusion and signs of cardiac compression.The aim of this report was to provide a prompt diagnosis of loculated pericardial hematoma via FoCUS in the emergency department (ED).