A Case of Constrictive Pericarditis with Mild Pericardial Thickening
10.4326/jjcvs.39.309
- VernacularTitle:心膜肥厚が軽度であった収縮性心外膜炎
- Author:
Kazuyoshi Kanno
;
Taira Kobayashi
;
Tatsuhiko Komiya
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
constrictive pericarditis;
hepatopathy;
pericardiectomy;
surgical treatment
- From:Japanese Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery
2010;39(6):309-313
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
A 58-year-old man presented with hydrothorax, an irregular heart rate, and symptoms of heart failure approximately equivalent to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) class 2. Echocardiographic and cardiac catheterization findings suggested constrictive pericarditis, but CT scans revealed only slight thickening of the pericardium. He had liver cirrhosis, to the extent that surgery appeared to be high risk in this case. The patient was thus managed medically but showed no tendency fowards improvement despite 6 months of treatment. He was then given a diagnosis of having hepatic dysfunction due to a congestive liver associated with constrictive pericarditis. Pericardiectomy was then performed. Postoperatively, his hepatic function improved markedly and his symptoms disappeared. This case is described, with reference to the literature.
