Delayed hemopericardium with constrictive pericarditis after blunt trauma: a report of a surgical case.
Constrictive pericarditis (CP) following hemopericardium has been reported in the literature but its pathogenesis is open to question. Proposed mechanisms include trauma leading to damage of the mesothelial lining resulting in decreased fibrinolytic activity in the presence of blood. We present a patient who sustained blunt thoracoabdominal trauma in a car accident and subsequently developed delayed hemopericardium leading to constrictive pericarditis and impending cardiac tamponade. We performed a pericardiectomy to relieve the compression. Closely prolonged monitoring and emergent operation are suggested for such kinds of delayed complications.
Lin
Hung-Shih
HS
Divisions of Thoracic Surgery, Mackey Memorial Hospital, Mackey Medicine, Nursing, and Management College, Taipei, Taiwan.
Liu
Hung-Chang
HC
Huang
Wen-Chieh
WC
Chen
Chao-Hung
CH
Huang
Charng-Jer
CJ
Tzen
Chi-Yuan
CY
Chen
Wei-Hung
WH
D000328:Adult; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D010492:Pericardiectomy; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*