Emergency Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Pericardial Decompression Syndrome.

Therapeutic pericardiocentesis can be occasionally fatal in cases of significant pulmonary hypertension with massive pericardial effusion when complicated by pericardial decompression syndrome. Acute significant thrombocytopenia may occur with VA-ECMO support resulting in fatal bleeding.