title: Pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis using the harmonic scalpel.
abstract: A 35-year-old man with constrictive pericarditis underwent pericardiectomy. The pericardium was dissected with a Harmonic Scalpel (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Cincinnati, OH). This new device has many advantages including no muscular stimulation, low heat, a smokeless field, and easy hemostasis. The Harmonic Scalpel is beneficial for dissection of thickened pericardium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, National Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bando
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minatoya
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasako
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010492:Pericardiectomy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000601:surgery*; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D014465:Ultrasonics