title: Postpericardiotomy syndrome during intensive immunosuppression after cardiac transplantation.
abstract: A 15-year-old man with end-stage heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy, underwent heart transplantation. In the second postoperative week, while being treated with monoclonal antibodies (OKT3), cyclosporine and azathioprine, he developed a postpericardiotomy syndrome and cardiac tamponade, which necessitated emergency pericardiocentesis. Corticosteroids, administered according to the immunosuppression protocol, resulted in the prompt subsidence of the syndrome. This is the first report of a large pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade due to a postpericardiotomy syndrome in an adult cardiac recipient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Charitos
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Kontoyannis
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Nanas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000601:surgery*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D016853:Muromonab-CD3 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D011185:Postpericardiotomy Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016853:Muromonab-CD3; D016572:Cyclosporine; D001379:Azathioprine