Oozing from the pericardium as an etiology of cardiac tamponade associated with screw-in atrial leads

Screw-in atrial pacing leads are widely used. Cardiac tamponade is a complication. An 81-year-old woman with advanced atrioventricular block underwent permanent pacemaker implantation and subsequently developed cardiac tamponade. At surgery, the lead-tip screw was found penetrated through the right atrium but not through the pericardium. The source of bleeding was confirmed to scratching the inner pericardial membrane by the screw tip. Although cardiac tamponade due to perforation and leakage is known, tamponade caused by the trauma of an atrial screw on the pericardium with resultant ooze is less well described.