title: Thoracoscopic pericardial fenestration after cardiac transplantation.
abstract: A patient suffered from recurrent pericardial effusions following heart transplantation. Repeated pericardiocentesis and insertion of pericardial drains could not resolve the problem and therefore surgical intervention was necessary. The procedure was performed as a minimally invasive thoracoscopic pericardial fenestration. Four months postoperative the patient was without recurrences. This method of pericardial fenestration after heart transplantation has been used for the first time.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Thoracic Surgery, Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Keil Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brückner
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schröder
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fändrich
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elfeldt
mesh_terms: D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D010491:Pericardial Window Techniques; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000379:methods*