title: Constrictive pericarditis as a complication of cardiac surgery: recognition of an entity.
abstract: Among 5,207 adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery, postoperative constrictive pericarditis was recognized in 11 patients (0.2% incidence rate). Seven patients had coronary arterial bypass grafting and 4 had valve replacement; the pericardium was left open in all cases. The average interval between surgery and presentation of pericardial constriction was 82 days (range 14 to 186). M mode echocardiography revealed epicardial and pericardial thickening in 7 cases and variable degrees of posterior pericardial effusion in 5 cases. Cardiac catheterization demonstrated uniformity of diastolic pressures with a characteristic early diastolic dip and late plateau pattern. Two patients responded to medical therapy for chronic pericarditis. One patient had a limited parietal pericardiectomy followed by recurrent constrictive pericarditis that eventually stabilized with medical therapy. The other 8 patients required radical pericardiectomy. The pathophysiology of constriction after surgery is unclear. Its clinical expression involves a wide spectrum of presentation and therapeutic response. Constrictive pericarditis may be a complication of cardiac surgery in spite of an open pericardium and should be considered in postoperative patients who present with deteriorating cardiac function.
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D004232:Diuretics; D004077:Digoxin