Summary

A previously healthy 48-year-old active duty man, who had been treated for an elbow abscess 3 weeks earlier, presented to an emergency department in Bahrain with tachycardia, pericardial friction rub and jugular venous distention. Cardiac tamponade was confirmed on transthoracic echocardiogram and he was taken for emergent pericardiocentesis. Pericardial fluid cultures grew community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Despite ongoing treatment with intravenous vancomycin, he developed a recurrent fibrinous pericardial effusion and constrictive pericarditis requiring pericardiectomy. Though he initially did well postoperatively, he developed drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome in response to vancomycin. He was transitioned to ceftaroline and started on high-dose steroids. He recovered during a week-long admission and was discharged home. Several weeks later at follow-up he was doing well and had resumed moderate intensity exercise.