Transperitoneal approach for pericardial drainage.
A variety of surgical approaches for pericardial drainage have been proposed. The choice of the best approach can be, therefore, oriented depending on the cause of the pericardial effusion. Recently a different approach, for neoplastic or post-traumatic pericardial effusion, has been proposed, in order to create a peritoneal-pericardial window avoiding the insertion of a tube. We report a case of late postoperative cardiac tamponade in a patient with a previous coronary surgery in which, due to extensive adhesion of the anterior wall a modified transperitoneal approach to the pericardium, was used.
Totaro
P
P
2nd Division of Cardiac Surgery, Civic Hospital, Brescia, Italy. pasqtotaro@hotmail.com
Lorusso
R
R
Ceconi
C
C
Zogno
M
M
D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000150:complications; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D010491:Pericardial Window Techniques