Percutaneous treatment of idiopathic chylopericardium.
Chylopericardium is a rare disease that may result from a variety of causes, such as cardiac surgery, trauma, obstruction of the thoracic duct near its drainage into the subclavian vein, or have no identifiable underlying cause. The present report describes a case of idiopathic chylopericardium in which percutaneous transabdominal occlusion of the thoracic duct was performed as an alternative to surgical duct ligation. The procedure was successful, resulting in a decrease in pericardial fluid accumulation. However, it failed to cure the patient, as constrictive pericarditis developed 2 months later, requiring surgical pericardectomy. Whether this could have been avoided by early (percutaneous) pericardial fenestration is unknown.
Schild
Hans H
HH
Department of Radiology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany. schild@uni-bonn.de
Simon
Birgit
B
Kuhl
Christiane K
CK
Nelles
Michael
M
Koerfer
Reiner
R
Skowasch
Dirk
D
Kuntz-Hehner
Stefanie
S
Haude
Michael
M
D000328:Adult; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome