title: Thoracoscopic window for a post-coronary artery bypass grafting pericardial effusion.
abstract: We report the case of a 60-year-old man presenting with a symptomatic, posteriorly loculated, pericardial effusion, and a concomitant pleural effusion a month after coronary artery bypass grafting. Following the initial insertion of an intercostal drain, he was treated by thoracoscopic creation of a pericardial window. His postoperative recovery was uneventful, and he remains well 6 months post-procedure. Creation of a thoracoscopic pericardial window is a safe and feasible option in the management of patients with loculated pericardial effusions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Minimal Access Surgery, PD Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mumbai.
authors.forename: Avinash N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Katara
authors.forename: Shivpreet S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Samra
authors.forename: Deepraj S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bhandarkar
mesh_terms: D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D013906:Thoracoscopy