Rapid development of fatal TB constrictive pericarditis after cardiac surgery

We report the case of a 75-year-old male of Asian origin who developed TB constrictive pericarditis less than 6 weeks after CABG. He had no history of active TB, but did show a strong Heaf test reaction in 1987, following a period of weight loss. This was thought to be indicative of previous infection and was not actively treated. Cases of postcardiac surgery constrictive pericarditis have been reported in the literature, but to our knowledge, there is no report of development of TB constrictive pericarditis in such a short period following surgery.