Pericardial fluid

[1] The pericardial fluid reduces friction within the pericardium by lubricating the epicardial surface allowing the membranes to glide over each other with each heart beat.

[2] Ben-Horin et al. (2005) studied the composition of pericardial fluid in patients undergoing open heart surgery.

They found that the fluid is made up of a high concentration of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), protein and lymphocytes.

[7] Small effusions are not necessarily dangerous and are commonly caused by infection such as HIV or can occur after cardiac surgery.

Large and rapidly accumulating effusions may cause cardiac tamponade, a life-threatening complication, that puts pressure on the heart preventing the ventricles from filling correctly.

A transverse section of the thorax, showing the contents of the middle and the posterior mediastinum. The pleural and pericardial cavities are exaggerated since normally there is no space between parietal and visceral pleura and between pericardium and heart.