Candida albicans purulent pericarditis treated successfully without surgical drainage.
Cures of Candida pericarditis reported in the literature uniformly involved surgical drainage of the pericardial space. We report a patient with purulent pericarditis caused by Candida albicans who was treated successfully with antifungal chemotherapy combined with a single pericardiocentesis that did not completely evacuate the pericardial space. This case indicates that thoracotomy with surgical drainage of the pericardium is not mandatory for successful therapy of Candida pericarditis.
Karp
R
R
Medical Service, Martinez VA Medical Center, Calif. 94553.
Meldahl
R
R
McCabe
R
R
D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004322:Drainage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005437:Flucytosine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*
D010406:Penicillins; D000666:Amphotericin B; D005437:Flucytosine