Biomaterial Database

[Constrictive pericarditis illustrated by an unusual case report]. 1998

S Madsen, and H Ihlen, and S Sire, and S M Almdahl

Medisinsk avdeling B, Rikshospitalet, Oslo.

Constrictive pericarditis is an uncommon condition. Previously, tuberculosis or other bacterial infections were prevalent causes, often with prominent pericardial calcification. Presently, many patients with constrictive pericarditis of other aetiologies have lesser degrees of structural changes in the pericardium. We report on a case with severe symptoms where the correct diagnosis was elusive because of absent or minimal preoperative pericardial pathology. The clinical, echocardiographic and haemodynamic features of constrictive pericarditis are reviewed. We recommend thorough echocardiographic evaluation of central haemodynamics in patients with symptoms of heart failure when the aetiology is not readily apparent (e.g. previous myocardial infarction dilated cardiomyopathy or valvular disease.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010494	Pericarditis, Constrictive	Inflammation of the PERICARDIUM that is characterized by the fibrous scarring and adhesion of both serous layers, the VISCERAL PERICARDIUM and the PARIETAL PERICARDIUM leading to the loss of pericardial cavity. The thickened pericardium severely restricts cardiac filling. Clinical signs include FATIGUE, muscle wasting, and WEIGHT LOSS.	Constrictive Pericarditis,Pick's Disease of Heart,Pick Disease of Heart,Constrictive Pericarditides,Heart Pick's Disease,Pericarditides, Constrictive,Pick Disease, Heart,Picks Disease, Heart
D011379	Prognosis	A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations.	Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D006439	Hemodynamics	The movement and the forces involved in the movement of the blood through the CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM.	Hemodynamic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D014463	Ultrasonography	The visualization of deep structures of the body by recording the reflections or echoes of ultrasonic pulses directed into the tissues. Use of ultrasound for imaging or diagnostic purposes employs frequencies ranging from 1.6 to 10 megahertz.	Echography,Echotomography,Echotomography, Computer,Sonography, Medical,Tomography, Ultrasonic,Ultrasonic Diagnosis,Ultrasonic Imaging,Ultrasonographic Imaging,Computer Echotomography,Diagnosis, Ultrasonic,Diagnostic Ultrasound,Ultrasonic Tomography,Ultrasound Imaging,Diagnoses, Ultrasonic,Diagnostic Ultrasounds,Imaging, Ultrasonic,Imaging, Ultrasonographic,Imaging, Ultrasound,Imagings, Ultrasonographic,Imagings, Ultrasound,Medical Sonography,Ultrasonic Diagnoses,Ultrasonographic Imagings,Ultrasound, Diagnostic,Ultrasounds, Diagnostic