[Outcome of pericardiectomy for chronic constrictive pericarditis]

The aim of this study was to assess early and late outcomes following treatment of chronic constrictive pericarditis by pericardiectomy. A retrospective analysis was carried out in 31 consecutive patients who underwent surgery between 1982 and 2005. The mean follow-up period was 6.7 years. In-hospital mortality was 16% (5/31 patients). The cause of death was low cardiac output syndrome in three patients, septic shock in one, and hemorrhage in the remaining patient. In six of the 26 surviving patients, functional class did not substantially improve and, in one patient, it worsened. The cumulative actuarial survival probability was 82% at 6 months, 82% at 1-9 years, and 64% at 10 years. In conclusion, pericardiectomy improved symptomatology in the majority of patients during late follow-up. A subgroup of patients did not experience an amelioration in clinical symptoms, probably because myocardial function did not completely recover.