Pericardial decompression syndrome: A comprehensive review.

Pericardial decompression syndrome (PDS) is an infrequent, life-threatening complication following pericardial drainage for cardiac tamponade physiology. PDS usually develops after initial clinical improvement following pericardiocentesis and is significantly underreported and may be overlooked in the clinical practice. Although the precise mechanisms resulting in PDS are not well understood, this seems to be highly associated with patients who have some underlying ventricular dysfunction. Physicians performing pericardial drainage should be mindful of the risk factors associated with the procedure including the rare potential for the development of PDS.

Colchicine In Epistenocardiac Pericarditis.

Epistenocardiac pericarditis (EP) is a rare form of pericarditis which occurs in the early period after a myocardial infarction (MI) and is commonly regionalized to the area of infarction. The preferred treatment for EP is high-dose oral aspirin, given the compelling indication for aspirin use in the post-MI setting; however, high-dose aspirin use may be prohibitive in certain clinical situations such as with concomitant use of newer antiplatelet agents like ticagrelor. The treatment option with colchicine remains an alternative; however the efficacy of colchicine in EP is not well established. We herewith describe a case series of 11 patients with EP who were treated with colchicine.

Constrictive pericarditis complicating cardiac transplantation.

Constrictive pericarditis is a disease characterized by progressive pericardial fibrosis. If left untreated it can lead to progressive heart failure and can be severely disabling. Medical management with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in combination with colchicine is promising in the acute phase of the disease but for more chronic cases pericardiectomy offers the best chance for hemodynamic recovery. Constrictive pericarditis after cardiac transplantation is a rare phenomenon. Current literature suggests that early pericardiectomy may be the most effective treatment in this subset of patients as well.