Surgical treatment of chronic pericardial effusions. Personal experience
Solaini, L.; Bagioni, P.; Grandi, U.; Angelini, E.; Amigoni, A.
Minerva Chirurgica 51(12): 1079-1082
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0026-4733 PMID: 9064578 Document Number: 461802
The authors report their experience about 15 patients surgically treated for chronic large pericardial effusion; in 12 cases the etiology was malignant neoplasm, while in the other 3 cases was inflammatory disease. In 4 patients a simple subxiphoid pericardial drainage was carried out, while in the other cases a pericardial window was performed. These cases were managed using an anterior left thoracotomy in 8 patients and a videothoracoscopy in 3. The authors conclude that pericardial window with videothoracoscopic approach is the preferable procedure, but it cannot be used in every case because a lot of patients have seriously compromised conditions and the use of this technique can be hazardous.