title: Surgical properties and survival of a pericardial window via left minithoracotomy for benign and malignant pericardial tamponade in cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgical drainage is a rapid and effective treatment for pericardial tamponade in cancer patients. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of pericardial window formation via mini-thoracotomy for treating pericardial tamponade in cancer patients, and to evaluate clinical factors affecting long-term survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  Records of 53 cancer patients with pericardial tamponade treated by pericardial window formation between 2002 and 2008 were examined. Five patients were excluded due to insufficient data. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis were used for analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-eight patients (64.7% male), with a mean age of 55.20 ± 12.97 years were included. Patients were followed up until the last control visit or death. There was no surgery-related mortality and the 30-day mortality rate was 8.33%; all died during postoperative hospitalization. Morbidity rate was 18.75%. Symptomatic recurrence rate was 2.08%. Cancer type and nature of the pericardial effusion were the major factors determining long-term survival (P <0.001 and P <0.004, respectively).Overall median survival was 10.41 ± 1.79 months. One- and 2-year survival rates were 45 ± 7% and 18 ± 5%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pericardial window creation via minithoracotomy was proven to be a safe and effective approach in surgical treatment of pericardial tamponade in cancer patients. Cancer type and nature of pericardial effusion were the main factors affecting long-term survival.
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. siyamie@gmail.com
authors: Sezai
authors: S
authors: Celik
authors: Muharrem
authors: M
authors: Celik
authors: Bulent
authors: B
authors: Aydemir
authors: Handan
authors: H
authors: Tanrıkulu
authors: Tamer
authors: T
authors: Okay
authors: Nurşen
authors: N
authors: Tanrikulu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D010491:Pericardial Window Techniques; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D015996:Survival Rate; D013908:Thoracotomy