title: Constrictive pericarditis complicating cardiac transplantation.
abstract: Constrictive pericarditis is a disease characterized by progressive pericardial fibrosis. If left untreated it can lead to progressive heart failure and can be severely disabling. Medical management with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in combination with colchicine is promising in the acute phase of the disease but for more chronic cases pericardiectomy offers the best chance for hemodynamic recovery. Constrictive pericarditis after cardiac transplantation is a rare phenomenon. Current literature suggests that early pericardiectomy may be the most effective treatment in this subset of patients as well.
authors: Department of Surgery, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, University of Connecticut Health Center, Hartford, CT, USA. affan.umer.83@gmail.com.
authors: Affan
authors: A
authors: Umer
authors: Hartford Hospital, University of Connecticut Health Center, Hartford, CT, USA.
authors: Nauman
authors: N
authors: Khalid
authors: Hartford Hospital, University of Connecticut Health Center, Hartford, CT, USA.
authors: Lovely
authors: L
authors: Chhabra
authors: Hartford Hospital, University of Connecticut Health Center, Hartford, CT, USA.
authors: Sarfaraz
authors: S
authors: Memon
authors: Saint Vincent Hospital, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
authors: David H
authors: DH
authors: Spodick
mesh_terms: D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D010492:Pericardiectomy / Q000379:methods*; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D010496:Pericardium / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome