title: A case of effusive-constrictive pericarditis after cardiac surgery.
abstract: A 60-year-old woman who had undergone repair of an atrial septal defect was readmitted to the hospital with dyspnea, abdominal distention, and leg edema 31 months after surgery. An echocardiogram demonstrated massive pericardial effusion. Cardiac catheterization revealed elevation and equilibrium of the 4-chamber diastolic pressure and a dip-and-plateau pattern in the right and the left ventricular pressures. Despite removal of pericardial fluid by pericardiocentesis, the findings and symptoms did not improve. The patient underwent both parietal and visceral pericardiectomy after which striking hemodynamic and symptomatic improvement occurred. Effusive-constrictive pericarditis is uncommon but should be considered in patients with refractory heart failure and massive pericardial effusion showing no improvement after removal of pericardial fluid.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Niigata University School of Medicine, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Niigata 951-8517, Niigata, Japan. masahiro@med.niigata-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumakura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanazawa
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aizawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000601:surgery*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D010492:Pericardiectomy; D020519:Pericardiocentesis; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000628:therapy*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D014463:Ultrasonography