Early and late results of pericardiectomy in 118 cases of constrictive pericarditis

The medical records of 118 patients (86 male, 32 female, age 10-50 (mean 27) years) who underwent pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis at the Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore, from 1954 to 1985 were reviewed. All had appreciable pericardial constriction. Preoperatively 97 of the 118 were in class III or IV of the New York Heart Association classification and 100 had peripheral oedema or ascites. Tuberculosis was proved as the cause in 72 patients. Pericardiectomy was accomplished through a standard anterolateral thoracotomy (107 cases), median sternotomy (3 cases), or bilateral thoracotomy (8 cases). Postoperatively an apparent low cardiac output state was seen in 34 patients, 12 of whom died. Hospital mortality in the last 12 years was 11%. Mortality was higher in NYHA class III and IV patients. The improved surgical results recently may be related to increased use of inotropic support and prolonged ventilation. At follow up there were 72 patients in whom functional capacity could be assessed; 63 were in class I or II. The poor results of pericardiectomy in some patients are likely to be related to advanced preoperative disability and early pericardiectomy is therefore recommended.     

Pericardiectomy: A Functional Anatomical Perspective for the Choice of Left Anterolateral Thoracotomy

Abstract   Although pericardiectomy remains an established method for pericardial resection, the choice of surgical approach is not definitive. Within South Africa, surgical referral for tuberculosis-induced chronic constrictive pericarditis has not declined. Anecdotal reports have indicated good operative results that appear to show an association with choice of surgical technique used. This study aimed to provide a functional anatomical perspective for performance and recovery of the heart during pericardiectomy based on anatomical dissection and surgical notes. En bloc specimens were harvested from 16 fresh cadavers and pericardial segments were measured in terms of percentage cover over surface area of the myocardium. Retrospective analysis of 116 surgical reports of pericardiectomy performed over a period of 20 years was conducted. Surgical notes were compared for median sternotomy and anterolateral left thoracotomy. Results from anatomical study indicated that although the anterior pericardium between the phrenic nerves constitutes about 58% of total selected pericardial area, total pericardium accessible over left ventricle from that approach was only 26%. When orientated in left anterolateral position, total accessible area of left ventricular pericardium was 37%. Standard deviations were found to be comparable. Means were significantly different, indicating that the left anterolateral approach allows wider access to the left ventricle. This paper provides a functional anatomical perspective for the choice of left anterolateral thoracotomy as a surgical approach for pericardiectomy.     

Effusive constrictive pericarditis successfully treated by partial pericardiectomy with left thoracotomy; report of a case

A 72-year-old male was admitted to our hospital due to high fever and dyspnea. Echocardiography and bacterial culture of pericardial fluid revealed purulent pericarditis caused by Streptococcus. Despite pericardial drainage and antibiotic therapy, hemodynamic instability due to constriction persisted. At 12th hospital day, partial pericardiectomy with left thoracotomy was performed. After the operation, his hemodynamics improved gradually, and was discharged from the hospital on the 54th post operative day without recurrence of infection nor constriction.     

Current indications, risks, and outcome after pericardiectomy

A retrospective analysis of the records of 60 patients who underwent pericardiectomy over a 10-year period (1980 to 1990) at The Johns Hopkins Hospital was performed. Indications for operation were effusive disease in 24 patients and constriction in 36 patients. Six patients (10%) with pericardial effusion had pain as the primary symptom necessitating intervention. The operative approach for pericardiectomy was median sternotomy in 52 patients (4 patients required cardiopulmonary bypass) and left anterior thoracotomy in 8 patients. Nine patients (5 with constriction and 4 with effusion) with a prior limited pericardial procedure required formal pericardiectomy. The operative mortality rate for pericardial effusion and constriction was 4.2% and 5.6%, respectively. Follow-up (median follow-up, 56.9 +/- 38.2 months) was obtained on 56 patients (93.3%). Actuarial survival at 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years for all patients was 82.1% +/- 5.1%, 71.7% +/- 6.7%, and 59.8% +/- 12.2%, respectively. A Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed using 20 clinical variables. A history of malignancy, previous pericardial procedure, and preoperative New York Heart Association class IV were found to be predictors of poor survival. All patients who underwent operation primarily for effusion with associated pain are alive and have improved functional capacity without steroid use. We conclude that pericardiectomy can be performed with low mortality and can result in good long-term survival and improved functional capacity. Patients who are seen primarily with pain refractory to steroid therapy can be relieved of symptoms with operation.     

Pericardial Window for Malignant Pericardial Effusion

Seventeen patients with malignant pericardial effusion were treated by the creation of a pericardial window. This was done through a subxiphoid approach in 13 patients and through limited anterior thoracotomy or sternotomy incisions in 4.There were no deaths and no major complications attributable to the operation. In all patients, relief of the cardiac compression caused by the effusion was immediate and complete. No patient showed a clinically significant recurrence of the effusion, although 1 patient who had received irradiation required pericardiectomy for constriction 5 months later.Survival was determined principally by the extent of the primary malignancy. Six patients died of the primary tumors within 30 days, but 6 survived 3 to 12 months and 2 are alive at 8 and 21 months.It is concluded that creation of a pericardial window, preferably by the subxiphoid approach, is the treatment of choice for malignant pericardial effusion. The procedure provides an accurate diagnosis, carries virtually no mortality or morbidity, and affords immediate and long-lasting relief of cardiac compression.     

Rheumatoid pericarditis. Clinical significance and operative management.

The incidence of subclinical pericarditis associated with rheumatoid pericarditis may be as high as 50 percent, but significant impairment of cardiac performance owing to this type of pericarditis rarely occurs. In the past 7 years, we have encountered eight men with congestive heart failure owing to rheumatoid pericarditis. Cardiac catheterization and echocardiography were useful in establishing the diagnosis of pericardial constriction. Pericardiocentesis was unsuccessful in relieving symptoms in the three patients in whom the procedure was performed. Seven patients underwent pericardiectomy; six had constrictive pericarditis and one patient had an acute pericarditis with the sudden onset of cardiac tamponade. The other patient died of cardiac tamponade prior to operation. All patients improved after operation and have remained free of cardiac symptoms 3 months to 4 1/2 years later. The frequent occurrence of adhesive and obliterative pericarditis with loculated effusions suggests the need for pericardiectomy rather than pericardiocentesis in the patient with rheumatoid arthritis and symptomatic pericardial involvement. Immediate and lasting relief of this unusual nonarticular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis can be expected after pericardiectomy.     

Pericardiectomy: A changing scene

The indications for pericardiectomy as well as the causal factors have changed in recent years. Sixty-eight patients operated on at the UCLA Medical Center between 1955 and 1982 have been described. There were 37 male patients and 31 female patients. The indication for operation was acute pericarditis in 37 patients, of whom 31 had recurrent effusion, and chronic constrictive pericarditis in 31 patients, of whom 8 were calcific. The most common cause of pericardial disease was tumor (20 patients), followed by idiopathic (13 patients), uremic (7 patients), viral (7 patients), tuberculous (6 patients), rheumatologic (6 patients), and miscellaneous (9 patients) causes. In most patients, pericardiectomy was performed through a left anterolateral thoracotomy without cardiopulmonary bypass. We recommend wide excision of the anterior pericardium (phrenic nerve to phrenic nerve) for effusive pericarditis. For chronic constrictive disease, we advocate a more extensive resection that includes the anterior as well as the posterior pericardium, thus freeing the left and right ventricles. Excellent long-term results were obtained with pericardiectomy in 90 percent of the patients who survived the operation.     

Pericardial constriction as a late complication of coronary bypass surgery.

A 55-year-old man had progressive dyspnea, recurrent atrial arrhythmias, and severe right heart failure following coronary bypass surgery. His condition improved only slightly with the usual decongestive therapy. When transferred for further studies 5 months after the operation, he had typical clinical and hemodynamic findings of constrictive pericarditis. Review of chest films following the bypass operation revealed a large pericardial effusion or hematoma, the incomplete resolution of which probably caused the pericardial constriction confirmed at thoracotomy. The man was treated by pericardiectomy. A recent report on the incidence of overt tamponade soon after bypass surgery suggests that a significant volume of pericardial fluid accumulates in the early postoperative course in many instances and that late constriction may not be a rare complication. In treating patients who have circulatory congestion after such operations, it is important that the physician consider constrictive pericarditis and not assume that the clinical findings are the consquence of myocardial failure.     

Constrictive pericarditis: Clinical profile and management

One-hundred and sixteen patients were surgically treated for constrictive pericarditis over a period of 18 years. Twenty-eight patients were less than 15 years old. All patients had exertional dyspnoea and elevated jugular venous pressure. Eighty-eight patients had NYHA class III or IV functional disability. Only 2 cases had atrial fibrillation. Seventeen patients had roentgenographic evidence of pericardial calcification. Fluoroscopy showed diminished cardiac movements in 110 cases. Cardiac catheterisation in 77 patients demonstrated classical haemodynamic pattern of constrictive pericarditis. All our patients underwent subtotal pericardiectomy through a left anterolateral approach. Seventy-one patients had histological evidence of tuberculous pericarditis. Nearly 88 per cent of the followed up cases reported good to excellent relief. The hospital mortality was 6.9 per cent. Our observations and inferences are compared with those of other published reports.     

Anterolateral thoracotomy as an alternative to repeat median sternotomy for replacement of the mitral valve

Median sternotomy is the most common approach for repeat cardiac surgery despite the potential complications of cardiac injury. Right anterolateral thoracotomy has been recommended as an alternative for patients undergoing mitral valve replacement, but data supporting one approach over the other do not exist. To compare these procedures, the records of 43 patients who had had a previous median sternotomy and who underwent mitral valve replacement were reviewed. No statistically significant differences between patients undergoing repeat median sternotomy (33 patients) and those undergoing right anterolateral thoracotomy (10 patients) were demonstrable when compared for age, gender, New York Heart Association Functional Class, other diseased valves, urgency of operation, indication for operation, type of valve removed, type of valve implanted, length of postoperative hospitalization, length of operation, days of ventilatory support, length of intensive care unit stay, and survival (90% for thoracotomy group; 76% for median sternotomy group; p, NS). Significant differences between the two groups, favoring right anterolateral thoracotomy, were apparent when comparisons were made for length of perfusion (means, 94.8 min, thoracotomy group; 121.4 min, sternotomy group; p = .03), incidence of reexploration (0%, thoracotomy group; 13%, sternotomy group; p = .001), and blood transfusion (means, 5.3 units, thoracotomy group; 11.4 units, sternotomy group; p = .003). Right anterolateral thoracotomy is an effective alternative to repeat median sternotomy for replacement of the mitral valve in patients who have had a previous median sternotomy.     

Surgical management of pericarditis in Zaria, Nigeria.

Over eight years, 58 rural Nigerians with pericarditis were treated surgically in Zaria using basic surgical facilities. Eighteen patients had purulent pericarditis, associated with staphylococcal pneumonia in children, or pneumococcal pneumonia in adults. Treatment with antibiotics and prompt pericardiectomy appeared to be superior to drainage, since a quarter of those initially treated with surgical drainage developed early constriction and required pericardiectomy soon after. Thirteen patients had chronic pericardial effusions, of whom one had epicardial constriction and two had cardiomyopathy. Twenty-seven patients had chronic constrictive pericarditis but tuberculosis was confirmed histologically in three only. Echocardiographic findings remained unchanged in five patients evaluated before and after pericardiectomy. Eight of the 13 patients who died had already developed myocardial or hepatic insufficiency before operation, because of late presentation or diagnosis. Greater awareness of the significance of precordial pain in this rural population where ischaemic heart disease is rare would help in making an earlier diagnosis.     

Acute purulent pericarditis: clinical experience with primary pericardiectomy plus continuous pericardium lavage]

106 patients with acute purulent pericarditis were treated surgically with three different methods without operative mortality. The pericardiectomy plus continuous pericardial lavage was more effective than pericardiectomy without irrigation or simple pericardial drainage in several aspects, such as recovery of body temperature, elimination of infectious-toxic symptoms and cutting short hospitalization days. Besides, cardiac tamponade or late constriction of the pericardium could be avoided.     

Preoperative and perioperative management of patients with pericardial diseases

Hemodynamic instability is the major concern in surgical patients with pericardial diseases, since general anesthesia and positive pressure ventilation may precipitate cardiac tamponade. In advanced constriction diastolic impairment and myocardial fibrosis/atrophy may cause low cardiac output during and after surgery. Elective surgery should be postponed in unstable patients with pericardial comorbidities. Pericardial effusion should be drained percutaneously (in local anesthesia) and pericardiectomy performed for constrictive pericarditis before any major surgical procedure. In emergencies, volume expansion, catecholamines, and anesthetics keeping cardiac output and systemic resistance should be applied. Etiology of pericardial diseases is an important issue is the preoperative management. Patients with neoplastic pericardial involvement have generally poor prognosis and any elective surgical procedure should be avoided. For patients with acute viral or bacterial infection or exacerbated metabolic, uremic, or autoimmune diseases causing significant pericardial effusion, surgery should be postponed until the causative disorder is stabilized and signs of pericarditis have resolved.     

Pericardiectomy: Current Indications,Concepts, and Results in a University Center

During a 7½-year period, 102 patients underwent pericardiectomy in the Emory University Affiliated Hospitals for a wide variety of pericardial disease. Seventy-six patients had predominantly effusive pericardial disease, and 26 patients had constrictive pericarditis. Nineteen cases of constrictive pericarditis developed in patients who had undergone previous open-heart operations. Hospital mortality at six weeks was 8.8%. The surgical approach was a left anterior thoracotomy in 72 patients; median sternotomy in 26 patients; and a subxiphoid approach in 4 patients. Only 2 patients required cardiopulmonary bypass. A detailed discussion of each subgroup of patients with pericardial disease requiring pericardiectomy is given.     

Tuberculous pericarditis. A review of 100 cases.

A retrospective survey of 100 Black patients with presumed tuberculous paricarditis showed that 82 presented with pericardial effusion while 18 had constrictive pericarditis. The mortality rate was 17%. Of the 82 patients with pericardial effusion, 15 developed 'constricting pericarditis' within 4 months; 12 required pericardiectomy. Sixteen patients died of cardiac tamponade; the effusion had been confirmed by a radio-isotope heart pool scan but had not been aspirated. This emphasizes the need for early and repeated pericardial aspiration. The fate of 38 rural patients with pericardial effusion was not known. Of the 18 patients with constrictive pericarditis, 7 underwent pericardiectomy, while 3 refused operation.     

Delayed pericardial effusion following stab wounds to the chest.

INTRODUCTION: Delayed pericardial effusion following penetrating cardiac trauma has not been commonly reported, and the exact incidence remains unknown. It was more common before 1960, when pericardiocentesis was still a popular treatment for stable patients presenting with a stab wound to the heart. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During an 8-year period, 24 patients were diagnosed with delayed pericardial effusions following a recent stab wound over the chest. Nine patients had been initially treated at our trauma unit, and the remaining 15 patients were referred by a peripheral clinic. RESULTS: Diagnosis was confirmed by cardiac ultrasound or echocardiogram. Sixteen patients were adequately treated by subxiphoid drainage. Sternotomy was performed in five patients, left thoracotomy in two and right thoracotomy in one patient. No actively bleeding injuries were found. Three patients had active infection in the pericardial space. Fever, pleural effusions and ascites were common associated findings. Additional procedures performed included laparotomy for acute abdominal pain in two patients (both negative), and simultaneous drainage of a pleural empyema. Two patients with staphylococcal pericardial infections required subsequent pericardiectomy. SUMMARY: The diagnosis of a penetrating cardiac patient may be missed in a stable patient, and patients may present with delayed pericardial effusions and tamponade. Post pericardiotomy syndrome may be the most common cause of delayed pericardial effusion, followed by sepsis. Subxiphoid pericardial window is an adequate form of treatment. Recent literature reveals that occult cardiac injury is not uncommon, thus a case should be made to actively investigate all patients with precordial stab wounds with cardiac ultrasound or echocardiogram.     

Pericardial Decompression

Pericardial tamponade and chronic pericardial effusion were treated in 32 patients by creating a subxiphoid pericardial window under local anesthesia in preference to pericardiocentesis or pericardiectomy. Chest roentgenograms, fluoroscopy, and cardiac catheterization as standard clinical methods of diagnosis have been largely replaced by echocardiography as the most sensitive method for detecting pericardial effusion. Eleven patients had pericarditis of viral, uremic, or purulent origin. Two had intrapericardial hemorrhage following catheter perforation of the heart. Four had pericardial effusion associated with cardiomyopathy and rheumatoid arthritis. In the remaining 15 patients malignancy was the cause of tamponade. In 10 patients we attempted to control the effusion initially with pericardiocentesis. Five of these (50%) required an additional procedure. In 22 patients subxiphoid pericardial decompression was the primary method of treatment; there were no fatalities during or immediately following operation. None of these patients has had any recurrence of tamponade or effusion for up to three years.     

Primary and secondary purulent pericarditis in otherwise healthy adults

The records of five previously healthy adult patients with primary and secondary purulent pericarditis are reported, in order to review the literature about such a rare condition and to discuss the options for treatment. Primary purulent pericarditis occurred in a five months pregnant woman and in a lady who had experienced a serous pericarditis two months before. A man presented with pyo-pneumo-pericardium. He had an episode of acute prostatitis 30 days before. Two further patients had purulent pericarditis secondary to pulmonary and mediastinal infections. The diagnosis was made late in all cases, after tamponade and shock occurred. Pre-operative catheter drainage failed to prevent recurrent tamponade and sepsis in two patients. All patients underwent thoracotomy and partial pericardiectomy. A downward transdiaphragmatic spreading collection was evident in one patient and laparotomy was needed. The mean postoperative stay was 30.4 days (20-48 days). All patients were discharged home in good health. The lady who was pregnant experienced an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. The follow-up time ranged between 5 months to 12 years. No patient has signs of pericardial constriction. We conclude that effective control of sepsis and prevention of possible further constriction are achieved safely by open surgical drainage and partial pericardiectomy.     

Surgical management of effusive pericardial disease. Influence of extent of pericardial resection on clinical course

Surgical drainage for effusive pericardial disease is usually accompanied by pericardial resection to obtain tissue for analysis and to lessen the chance of recurrent effusion or late constriction. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the extent of resection and the development of late complications. From 1960 through 1983, 145 patients with pure pericardial effusive disease underwent operative drainage. The effusions were malignant in 72 patients (49.7%) and benign in 73 (50.3%). The patients were divided into three groups according to the extent of resection: complete in 72 patients (49.7%), partial in 36 (24.8%), and window in 37 (25.5%). The 30 day mortality was 19.4% for patients with malignant effusions and 5.5% for those with benign effusions (p less than 0.05). All survivors had immediate improvement in symptoms. The actuarial 1 year survival rate was 23.4% (mean 4.2 months) for patients with malignant disease and 85.6% for patients with idiopathic effusions (p less than 0.001). Survival was not influenced by the extent of resection. Fifteen patients (10.3%) had late constriction or recurrent effusion. Six of these required reoperation, all after having had a window procedure. Actuarial probability of reoperation or late complication was greater with window procedures than other resections, both for all patients (p = 0.0001) and for those with benign disease (p = 0.0001). Transthoracic complete pericardiectomy is the procedure of choice for effusive pericardial disease. Subxiphoid drainage has immediate advantages for selected patients but has a statistically greater chance of late complications.     

Clinical experience with subxiphoid drainage of pericardial effusions

To assess the effectiveness of subxiphoid pericardial tube drainage for treatment of pericardial effusion, we reviewed 41 consecutive patients who underwent this procedure during a 14-year period. The patients ranged in age from 7 months to 75 years. All were symptomatic preoperatively. The diagnosis of pericardial effusion was confirmed by echocardiogram in all but 2 patients. Eight patients had acute pericardial tamponade. Subxiphoid pericardial drainage was performed under general (n = 35) or local anesthesia (n = 6). A portion of the anterior pericardium was excised in each patient. There were no perioperative deaths. Thirty-day mortality was 19.5%; there were five late deaths. All deaths were unrelated to pericardial effusion or to the operation. One patient had recurrent effusion requiring pericardiocentesis on the 21st postoperative day. He died five days later of extensive lymphoma. Twenty-eight patients were followed from 1 month to 10 years; mean follow-up was 31.5 months. None developed recurrent effusion or pericardial constriction. We conclude that subxiphoid pericardial drainage is effective for treatment of pericardial effusion.