title: Constrictive pericarditis after bypass leading to internal mammary graft failure.
abstract: Constrictive pericarditis is an infrequent consequence of cardiac operation. The etiology remains unknown, but the consequences include a restrictive process that leads to congestive failure and diminished cardiac output. In addition, the desmoplastic reaction, associated with fusion of the visceral and parietal pericardial layers, has been implicated in failure of saphenous vein grafts. We report a case of constrictive pericarditis, after coronary bypass operation, with occlusion of an internal mammary graft.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Raheb
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Tripp
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007387:Internal Mammary-Coronary Artery Anastomosis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000209:etiology*; D017211:Treatment Failure