title: Left ventricular dysfunction after pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis.
abstract: A 56-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of suspected constrictive pericarditis. After the diagnosis was confirmed by cardiac catheterization, an elective pericardiectomy was performed without complication. Four days after surgery dyspnea developed in the patient, and he was found to have an acute decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by echocardiography. The patient's symptoms and the LVEF improved over time and returned to normal 4 weeks after surgery. Transient hemodynamic dysfunction of the left ventricle has previously been reported after pericardiectomy or pericardiocentesis; however, we know of no reports in the literature that confirm an acute reduction in LVEF by echocardiography after pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis.
authors.affiliation: Malcom Randall Veterans Administration Medical Center, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, USA. schofrs@medicine.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.forename: Steven B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Shoemaker
authors.forename: Eugene G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Ryerson
authors.forename: Gary R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Spotnitz
mesh_terms: D004452:Echocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010492:Pericardiectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology