Tamponade

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Tamponade is a condition of blood flow stoppage either by insertion of a tampon (a wadded cotton plug) into a blood vessel or by a constriction of the vessel by an outside force.

Tamponade is a useful method of stopping a hemorrhage. This can be achieved by applying an absorbent dressing directly onto a wound, thereby absorbing excess blood and creating a blockage, or by applying direct pressure with a hand or a tourniquet.

There can, however, be disastrous consequences when tamponade occurs as a result of health problems, as in the case of Cardiac tamponade. In this situation, fluid collects between the heart muscle and the pericardial sac. The pressure within the sac makes the heart unable to expand and open its ventricles, meaning that no blood flows in or out of the heart. If left unchecked, this condition will end in death.