title: Primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma-a rare cause of superior vena cava thrombosis and constrictive pericarditis.
abstract: Primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma (PMPM) is an extremely rare, highly lethal and often misdiagnosed tumor. We report a 60-year-old woman complaining of dry cough, shortness of breath and exertional dyspnea due to a large pericardial effusion. The pericardial fluid volume declined after pericardiocentesis; analysis of the fluid revealed malignant cells and was negative for tuberculosis. Subsequently, the patient developed a compression of the superior vena cava and pericardial constriction. The patient's symptoms marginally improved after partial pericardiectomy, and a diagnosis of pericardial mesothelioma was made on pathology. However, her symptoms continued to aggravate, and she died 8 months after presentation. Pericardial mesothelioma should be discovered earlier to treat patients who develop repeatedly pericardial effusion after pericardiocentesis and pericardial tamponade or those develop constrictive pericarditis.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ruijin Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China ; 2 Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China.
authors.forename: Wenhui
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ruijin Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China ; 2 Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ruijin Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China ; 2 Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China.
authors.forename: Kaihu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ruijin Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China ; 2 Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
keywords: Pericardial mesothelioma; constrictive pericarditis; superior vena cava thrombosis