PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Mary N Hall AU - John M. Little, Jr. TI - Penetration Of The Pericardium By A Gastric Ulcer – Survival After Pericardiocentesis AID - 10.3122/jabfm.3.4.289 DP - 1990 Oct 01 TA - The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice PG - 289--291 VI - 3 IP - 4 4099 - http://www.jabfm.org/content/3/4/289.short 4100 - http://www.jabfm.org/content/3/4/289.full SO - J Am Board Fam Med1990 Oct 01; 3 AB - Elderly patients often have unusual manifestations of common illnesses. We describe a geriatric patient having a pneumopericardium from pericardial penetration by a gastric ulcer. Benign gastric ulceration causing perforation of the pericardium or other cardiac structures was recognized as early as 1854; however, unti11964, the condition was invariably fatal. Our patient survived the episode after early pericardiocentesis and medical treatment. Aspects of this uncommon clinical entity and a brief review of the literature are described.