A cadaveric study of complications associated with the subxiphoid and transthoracic approaches to emergency pericardiocentesis.

Objectives: The aim of this cadaveric study was to compare three commonly used approaches for emergency pericardiocentesis and to determine the safest approach.

Methods: Thirteen cadavers were injected at three sites with three different coloured dyes, one for each of the three different recommended approaches. The approaches used were (1) ATIP: anterior transthoracic in the fifth left intercostal space (Advanced Cardiac Life Support protocol), (2) SXP1: immediately subxiphoid and (3) SXP2: subxiphoid approach 1.