title: Pericardiectomy for effusive constrictive pericarditis after heart transplantation.
abstract: The following is a case report of an unusual complication after heart transplantation. The patient was a 37-year-old man who underwent heart transplantation because of idiopathic cardiomyopathy. His postoperative course was complicated by cardiac tamponade, coagulopathy, and chronic constrictive pericarditis. After transplantation, he underwent three subsequent open-chest procedures: the first for tamponade, the second for Serratia mediastinitis, and the third for a pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis. Although constrictive pericarditis and pericardiectomy have been described following coronary bypass surgery and valve replacement, they have not yet been reported in a heart transplant recipient.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Copeland
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fuller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000209:etiology; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D010496:Pericardium / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D012706:Serratia marcescens