title: Pericardial abscess mimicking intracardiac neoplasm causing right heart failure.
abstract: Purulent pericarditis involves the whole pericardium and usually presents as an acute illness with high mortality without prompt diagnosis and treatment. Presentation as a mediastinal mass causing compression of the right ventricle (RV) and symptoms of heart failure in patients without previous cardiac surgery is very rare and only three cases have been reported up to now (English language medical literature). Clinicians should be aware of this unusual condition for prompt diagnosis and treatment to be instituted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, St. George's Medical School, St. George's Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Apostolos P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Karagounis
authors.forename: Demetrios C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Stefanou
authors.forename: Mazin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarsam
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*