1. History of Cardiac Tamponade
MR Physical Exam Session

2. Elisabeth of Wittelsbach
• Queen of Hungary, empress of Austria
• Incognito trip to Geneva, Switzerland in September 1898
• Stabbed by Luigi Lucheni, an Italian anarchist, while waiting
to board a steaboat
• Fell to the ground, but then was helped to her feat without
consequence
• Minutes later, became pale and lost consciousness
• Rushed to a local practitioner, who noted a coin-sized area
of blood under her left breast.
– Wound probed but she died within minutes

3. Partial autopsy report
• “Lesions described have been produced by a long
instrument of triangular shape with more or less
blunted edges. The general direction of the
wound corresponds to a line slightly directed
from top to bottom and from outside to inside.
Death was undoubtedly caused by a progressive
and slow blood leak, sufficient to compress the
heart and to suspend its functions. The finding of
a voluminous blood clot occupying the
pericardium is absolute proof of it.”