Abstract
Gastropericardial fistula is a rare condition in which a communication forms between the stomach and the pericardial sac. A 73-year-old HIV-positive female with a history of alcohol abuse was hospitalized in October 2019 for pain in her shoulders and chest. As a gastric ulcer mimicking the malignancy had been diagnosed previously, a chest CT was taken 1 day after admission. No malignancy was seen, but pneumopericardium was diagnosed. Due to the patient’s immune status, sepsis was suspected, and a 20-day period of conservative management was instituted in a county hospital. During that period, the pneumopericardium persisted. Finally, a CT scan with oral contrast media revealed a gastropericardial fistula. The patient was transferred to our facility, where the fistula was closed surgically. Immediately before the surgery, the patient developed pulseless electrical activity and was promptly resuscitated. The patient survived, and in contrast to conservative management, the surgical approach ensured her recovery. The diagnostic journey for the gastropericardial fistula can be lengthy; however, after diagnosis, prompt surgical management should be undertaken.
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Marko Murruste: design, writing and illustrations of the paper; Karri Kase: design and writing of the paper; Martin Kivilo: design and writing of the paper; Urmas Lepner: design and review of the paper.
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Murruste, M., Kase, K., Kivilo, M. et al. Gastropericardial Fistula in an HIV-Positive Female: a Case Report. SN Compr. Clin. Med. 5, 12 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42399-022-01354-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42399-022-01354-3