Intravesical BCG for bladder cancer treatment complicated by disseminated BCG (BCGosis) with pericardial effusion and tamponade.
Overview
abstract
Intravesical BCG instillations are first-line adjuvant treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Infectious complications are typically limited to the genitourinary system but can infrequently affect distant organs due to haematogenous spread. We describe the case of an elderly man who presented with several months of malaise and hypotension and was diagnosed with disseminated BCG (BCGosis) with endocarditis and pericardial effusion resulting in cardiac tamponade. This case illustrates the potentially insidious presentation of BCGosis and challenges in diagnosis, highlighting the need for vigilance among clinicians treating these patients.
