Relationship between history of previous surgeries and pericardial involvement in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Objective: We aimed to define whether timing and multiple surgeries have an impact on development of postpericardiotomy syndrome (PPS) and its complications. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical and operative data of 40 patients with signs of PPS after cardiac surgery. Among them, 9 patients had signs of effusion (E) only and 31 patients had adhesive/ constrictive/constrictive-effusive (C) pericardial involvement. Results: Patients in E only group had significantly larger E size (p=0.03), higher white blood cell count (p=0.014) and tendency to higher sedimentation rate (SR) as compared to C group. We found significantly longer period of hospital stay (p=0.042), higher number of redo surgeries (1.33(0.88) vs 0.67(0.50), p=0.008) and longer time past since latest surgery (102.91(97.49) vs. 0.14(0.38) months, p