A 57-year-old woman presented with right, medial, and left congenital diaphragmatic hernia defect. The hernia defect was closed laparoscopically by a running suture and then a mesh placed as an onlay fixed with helical hernia tacks. The patient developed cardiac tamponade on the second day due to tack-induced bleeding of an epicardial artery of the inferior surface of the heart, which required emergency pericardial drainage. The outcome was good, and discharge home was allowed after 1 month.
A 40-year-old man underwent Collis-Nissen repair of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The night of the operation he became hypotensive and was believed to have cardiac tamponade. Bedside pericardiocentesis was performed with temporary improvement. On returning to the operating room, he coded and died on the operating table. The autopsy findings showed laceration of a coronary vessel.