The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 31, 450-453, Copyright © 1981 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Constrictive pericarditis following cardiac surgery
PL Rice, R Pifarre and A Montoya
Five patients with constriction secondary to pericarditis or membrane
formation following cardiac surgical procedures are reported. In 4 of the 5
patients, a postpericardiotomy syndrome developed after the original
procedure. Constriction occurred from ten weeks to almost 6 years after the
cardiac operation. Clinicians should watch carefully for the delayed onset
of constriction in patients with a postpericardiotomy syndrome after
cardiac operation.