title: Pericardiectomy using the starfish heart positioner.
abstract: We describe the use of the Starfish 2 heart positioning device as an aid to performing pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis. Whilst mainly a tool for off-pump coronary artery surgery, the Starfish device allows excellent cardiac positioning and haemodynamic stability during pericadiectomy via median sternotomy, without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass.
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia. aubreyalmeida@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Aubrey A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Jaser
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Al-Shawawreh
authors.forename: Adam D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Zimmet
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010492:Pericardiectomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000601:surgery*; D010496:Pericardium