Subacute tuberculous pericarditis with fibroelastic constriction diagnosed upon pericardiectomy.
A patient with subacute pericarditis showed no evidence suggesting tuberculosis until pericardiectomy was performed because of hemodynamic deterioration. The excised pericardium had a rubbery fibroelastic consistency; histologically, there were granulomatous changes characteristic of tuberculosis. Although tuberculous pericarditis is a difficult diagnosis, this case illustrates the diagnostic and therapeutic importance of early pericardiectomy before myocardial inflammatory infiltration occurs together with end-stage pericardial fibrosis and calcification.
Ryoke
T
T
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Konan Saint Hill Hospital, Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan. tryoke01@ymg.urban.ne.jp
Kakukawa
H
H
Kunichika
H
H
Nishimura
Y
Y
Sakai
H
H
Minami
Y
Y
Fujii
T
T
Matsuzaki
M
M
D003935:Diagnostic Techniques, Cardiovascular; D005260:Female; D005337:Fibrin; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010492:Pericardiectomy; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014381:Tuberculosis, Cardiovascular / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology
D005337:Fibrin