Outcomes and Risk Factors Associated with Pericardiectomy in Patients with Constrictive Pericarditis: A Retrospective Study from China.

PURPOSE: Pericardiectomy is the definitive treatment option for constrictive pericarditis and is associated with a high prevalence of morbidity and mortality. However, information on the associated outcomes and risk factors is limited. We aimed to report the mid-term outcomes of pericardiectomy from a single center in China. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data collected from patients who underwent pericardiectomy at our institute from April 2018 to January 2023. RESULTS: Eighty-six consecutive patients (average age, 46.1 ± 14.7 years; 68.6 men) underwent pericardiectomy through midline sternotomy. The most common etiology was idiopathic (n = 60, 69.8%), and 82 patients (95.3%) were in the New York Heart Association function class III/IV. In all, 32 (37.2%) patients underwent redo sternotomies, 36 (41.9%) underwent a concomitant procedure, and 39 (45.3%) required cardiopulmonary bypass. The 30-day mortality rate was 5.8%, and the 1-year and 5-year survival rates were 88.3% and 83.5%, respectively. Multivariable analysis revealed that preoperative mitral insufficiency (MI) ≥moderate (hazard ratio [HR], 6.435; 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.655-25.009]; p = 0.007) and partial pericardiectomy (HR, 11.410; 95% CI [3.052-42.663]; p = 0.000) were associated with increased 5-year mortality. CONCLUSION: Pericardiectomy remains a safe operation for constrictive pericarditis with optimal mid-term outcomes.

Como eu faço avaliação ecocardiográfica de pericardite constritiva / My approach to echocardiographic assessment for constrictive pericarditis

A pericardite constritiva (PC) é uma condição na qual a cicatrização e perda de elasticidade do pericárdio resultam em enchimento ventricular prejudicado, disfunção diastólica e insuficiência cardíaca direita. O diagnóstico dessa patologia é desafiador, sendo frequente a necessidade de técnicas de imagem multimodal, dentre as quais a ecocardiografia representa a modalidade de imagem inicial para a avaliação diagnóstica, além de permitir a diferenciação da PC da cardiomiopatia restritiva (CMR) e outras condições que mimetizam constrição. (AU)

Constrictive pericarditis (CP) is a condition in which scarring and loss of elasticity of the pericardium result in impaired ventricular filling, diastolic dysfunction, and right heart failure. The diagnosis of this pathology is challenging, with frequent need for multimodal imaging techniques, among which echocardiography represents the initial imaging modality for the diagnostic evaluation, in addition to allowing the differentiation of CP from restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) and other conditions that mimic constriction. (AU)

Constrictive pericarditis in the setting of repeated chest trauma in a mixed martial arts fighter.

BACKGROUND: Constrictive pericarditis (CP) is characterized by scarring and loss of elasticity of the pericardium. This case demonstrates that mixed martial arts (MMA) is a previously unrecognized risk factor for CP, diagnosis of which is supported by cardiac imaging, right and left heart catheterization, and histological findings of dense fibrous tissue without chronic inflammation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 47-year-old Caucasian male former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter from the Western United States presented to liver clinic for elevated liver injury tests (LIT) and a 35-pound weight loss with associated diarrhea, lower extremity edema, dyspnea on exertion, and worsening fatigue over a period of 6 months. Past medical history includes concussion, right bundle branch block, migraine headache, hypertension, chronic pain related to musculoskeletal injuries and fractures secondary to MMA competition. Involvement in MMA was extensive with an 8-year history of professional MMA competition and 13-year history of MMA fighting with recurrent trauma to the chest wall. The patient also reported a 20-year history of performance enhancing drugs including testosterone. Physical exam was notable for elevated jugular venous pressure, hepatomegaly, and trace peripheral edema. An extensive workup was performed including laboratory studies, abdominal computerized tomography, liver biopsy, echocardiogram, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Finally, right and left heart catheterization-the gold standard-confirmed discordance of the right ventricle-left ventricle, consistent with constrictive physiology. Pericardiectomy was performed with histologic evidence of chronic pericarditis. The patient's hospital course was uncomplicated and he returned to NYHA functional class I. CONCLUSIONS: CP can be a sequela of recurrent pericarditis or hemorrhagic effusions and may have a delayed presentation. In cases of recurrent trauma, CP may be managed with pericardiectomy with apparent good outcome. Further studies are warranted to analyze the occurrence of CP in MMA so as to better define the risk in such adults.

Fluid Balance of the Second Day Following Operation is Associated with Early Mortality and Multiorgan Failure After Pericardiectomy for Constrictive Pericarditis.

BACKGROUND: The operative mortality of pericardiectomy still is high. This retrospective study was conducted to determine the risk factors of early mortality and multiorgan failure. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients undergoing pericardiectomy from January 2009 to June 2020 at our hospital. Pericardiectomy was performed via sternotomy. Histopathologic studies of pericardium tissue from every patient were done. All survivors were monitored to the end date of the study. RESULTS: Ninety-two consecutive patients undergoing pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis were included in the study. Postoperatively, central venous pressure significantly decreased, and left ventricular end diastolic dimension and left ventricular ejection fractions significantly improved. The overall mortality rate was 5.4%. The common postoperative complications include acute renal injury (27.2%), and multiorgan failure (8.7%). Analyses of risk factors showed that fluid balance of the second day following operation is associated with early mortality and multiorgan failure. In this series from Guangxi, China, characteristic histopathologic features of tuberculosis (60/92, 65.2%) of pericardium were the most common histopathologic findings, and 32 patients (32/92, 34.8%) had the histopathologic findings of chronic nonspecific inflammatory changes. The functional status of the patients improved after pericardiectomy; 6 months later postoperatively 85 survivors were in class I (85/87, 97.7%) and two were in class II (2/87, 2.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Tuberculosis is the most common cause of constrictive pericarditis in Guangxi, China. Fluid balance of the second day following operation is associated with early mortality and multiorgan failure after pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis in our study.

Rheumatic pericarditis: a rare cause of constrictive pericarditis.

Constrictive pericarditis is a relatively uncommon form of cardiac failure and presents due to scarring and consequent loss of the normal elasticity of the pericardial sac. This results in abnormal/limited ventricular filling and symptoms of heart failure. The aetiology is varied, from infective causes to idiopathic causes, or can manifest after cardiothoracic surgery. This case involves a 46-year-old man presenting with acute group A beta haemolytic streptococcus infection, and over the subsequent 6 months develops constrictive pericarditis due to what is believed to be a rheumatic aetiology. The patient subsequently underwent pericardiectomy and had restoration of normal filling dynamics confirmed on follow-up echocardiography. This case provides a subject matter for the review of the features of constrictive pericarditis and its investigation and management. This case is that it highlights the fact that pericarditis is not a benign condition. Emerging evidence suggests that pericarditis is due to a failure in inflammatory regulatory mechanisms, and patients suffering this condition have a preponderance to 'autoinflammation'. Pericarditis should be recognised early and treated fully with anti-inflammatory agents.

Pericardial Involvement in Cancer.

Despite the monumental advances in the diagnoses and therapeutics of malignancy, several cancer patients have presented with pericardial involvement, including acute pericarditis, constrictive pericarditis, and pericardial effusion. Multiple factors can contribute to acute pericarditis, including direct metastasis to the heart, pericardial hemorrhage, infections due to immunosuppression, and cancer therapies that include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation. Pericardial effusion, either due to cancer invasion or cancer treatment, is one of the most common incidental findings in cancer patients, which significantly worsens morbidity and mortality. If left untreated, pericardial effusion is known to cause complications such as pericardial tamponade. Constrictive pericarditis can be due to radiation exposure, chemotherapy, or is a sequela of a previous episode of acute pericarditis. In conclusion, early detection, prompt treatment, and understanding of pericardial diseases are necessary to help improve the quality of life of cancer patients, and we aim to summarize the knowledge of pericardial involvement in patients with cancer.

Features of carcinoid heart disease identified by cardiac computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: Carcinoid heart disease (HD) is a rare form of valvular heart disease, the features of which have not been fully described by cardiac computed tomography (CT). METHODS: All patients with carcinoid HD that underwent cardiac CT, either preoperatively or for assessment of coronary arteries, between Apr-2006 and Dec-2019 at the Royal Free Hospital, UK, were reviewed. RESULTS: Of 32 patients with carcinoid HD, 29 (91%) had heart valve involvement. Abnormalities of the tricuspid and pulmonary valves were present in all patients, affecting all three leaflets in 23/26 (89%) unoperated patients for both valves. The aortic valve was affected in 4/29 (14%) patients and the mitral valve in 5/29 (17%). Left heart valves were affected in 6/29 (21%) patients. One patient (1/29; 3%) had all four valves affected. Severe changes with significant valvular regurgitation were seen in ≥75% of patients with tricuspid, pulmonary, and aortic valve abnormalities. Three patients had carcinoid myocardial metastases (3/32; 9%) and one patient had constrictive pericarditis (1/32; 3%). Ten patients had surgery of whom four (40%) had invasive coronary angiography preoperatively. Ten patients had a patent foramen ovale. Cardiac CT allowed an accurate assessment of damage to different leaflets/cusps, particularly of the pulmonary valve, where visualization with echocardiography was often (3/8; 38%) incomplete. CONCLUSION: Cardiac CT is a powerful tool for assessment of cardiac valve abnormalities, coronary arteries and the spatial relationship of coronary arteries with myocardial metastasis in patients with carcinoid HD, and should form part of multimodal imaging of this complex pathology.

Clinical significance of pulse index contour continuous cardiac output monitoring in patients with constrictive pericarditis undergoing pericardiectomy.

OBJECTIVES: The efficacy of pulse index contour continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) monitoring in patients with constrictive pericarditis undergoing pericardiectomy remains unclear. The goal of this study was to explore whether PiCCO monitoring could improve clinical outcomes in these patients. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 74 patients with constrictive pericarditis undergoing pericardiectomy and assigned them to a PiCCO group and a control group. Postoperative and survival outcomes were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: There were 33 (44.6%) cases in the PiCCO group and 41 (55.4%) cases in the control group. The baseline characteristics were comparable between the 2 groups. In comparison to the control group, the PiCCO group showed more intraoperative fluid infusion (P = 0.003), higher postoperative central venous pressure (P = 0.007) and lower levels of postoperative brain natriuretic peptide (P = 0.021). The incidence of postoperative complications (P = 0.004) including cardiac complications (P = 0.033) was also lower in the PiCCO group. Despite no difference in survival outcomes, duration of chest drainage (P = 0.032), length of stay in the intensive care unit (P < 0.001) and the postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.044) were significantly shorter in the PiCCO group. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the clinical significance of PiCCO monitoring in the enhanced recovery of patients with constrictive pericarditis undergoing pericardiectomy and provided new evidence for applying PiCCO monitoring in these patients.

Pericardectomy after pericarditis constrictiva led to onset of transplant kidney function after 98 days of anuric kidney graft: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Constrictive pericarditis is easily overlooked and can lead to severe problems in hemodynamics and end-organ perfusion, in our patient leading to 98 days of anuria after living kidney transplantation. This was completely reversible after pericardectomy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 43-year-old female caucasian patient received a living kidney donation from her mother. She had developed end-stage renal disease 2 years prior due to nephrotic syndrome linked to graft-versus-host disease after allogenic stem-cell transplantation for aplastic anemia. The graft showed insufficient function already in the early postoperative phase. Dialysis was paused after surgery, but the patient developed hypervolemia with ascites and edema in the lower extremities. Doppler ultrasonography showed scarce perfusion, with intrarenal arterial waveforms without end-diastolic flow. The venous perfusion profiles showed pulsatile retrograde flow. There was no identifiable reason for a primary vascular perfusion problem on ultrasonography or transplant kidney angiography. Kidney transplant biopsy revealed no rejection but extensive acute tubular necrosis. Three weeks after transplantation, the patient developed an acute anuric graft failure caused by severe cardiac decompensation. Echocardiography revealed a previously unnoticed constrictive pericarditis, which could be confirmed in a cardio computed tomography scan. The constrictive pericarditis had not been apparent on previous x-rays, computed tomography scans, or echocardiographies, including those for transplantation evaluation. Conservative management of the constrictive pericarditis was not successful and the graft remained anuric. Eventually, the patient underwent pericardectomy 16 weeks after kidney transplantation. Shortly after surgery, the graft started urine production again, which significantly increased within a few days. The clearance improved and 2 weeks later, the patient was free from dialysis. CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates that special attention should be given to the pericardium during transplant evaluation, especially for patients who previously underwent stem-cell transplantations, chemotherapy or radiation.

Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation in Patients Undergoing Pericardiectomy for Constrictive Pericarditis.

We hypothesized that tricuspid valve regurgitation was associated with increased risk of mortality after pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis. We reviewed the records of 518 patients who received pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis between January 2000 and December 2016. We excluded cases of radiation induced constrictive pericarditis, tuberculous-related constrictive pericarditis, and concomitant tricuspid valve intervention. Patients were classified according to preoperative transthoracic echocardiography tricuspid regurgitation grade: none/trivial in 276 (53%) patients, mild in 191 (37%), and moderate/severe in 51 (10%). A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine an association between tricuspid valve regurgitation grade and mortality. Primary endpoint of this study was mortality. Median patient age was 62 years (interquartile range 51-69), sex was male in 409 (79%) patients, and left ventricular ejection fraction was 60% (54-65). Clinical follow-up was obtained in all patients at a median of 7.6 years (3.6-11.3). Kaplan-Meier estimates of mortality were 10.6% at 1 year, 23.5% at 5 years, and 39.0% at 10 years. Multivariable analysis demonstrated increased mortality risk with mild tricuspid valve regurgitation vs none/trivial (hazard ratio 1.64; 95% confidence interval 1.11-2.43; P = 0.012) and moderate/severe tricuspid valve regurgitation vs none/trivial (hazard ratio 2.27; 95% confidence interval 1.39-3.69; P = 0.001). These findings were independent of right ventricular function. Tricuspid valve regurgitation is a common and clinically important comorbidity in patients operated with pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis. Mild or greater tricuspid valve regurgitation is associated with an increased risk of mortality following operation.

Pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis: a risk factor analysis for early and late failure.

Predictors of early and late failure of pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis (CP) have not been established. Early and late outcomes of a cumulative series of 81 (mean age 60 years; mean EuroSCORE II, 3.3%) consecutive patients from three European cardiac surgery centers were reviewed. Predictors of a combined endpoint comprising in-hospital death or major complications (including multiple transfusion) were identified with binary logistic regression. Non-parametric estimates of survival were obtained with the Kaplan-Meier method. Predictors of poor late outcomes were established using Cox proportional hazard regression. There were 4 (4.9%) in-hospital deaths. Preoperative central venous pressure > 15 mmHg (p = 0.005) and the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (p = 0.016) were independent predictors of complicated in-hospital course, which occurred in 29 (35.8%) patients. During follow-up (median, 5.4 years), preoperative renal impairment was a predictor of all-cause death (p = 0.0041), cardiac death (p = 0.0008), as well as hospital readmission due to congestive heart failure (p = 0.0037); while partial pericardiectomy predicted all-cause death (p = 0.028) and concomitant cardiac operation predicted cardiac death (p = 0.026), postoperative central venous pressure < 10 mmHg was associated with a low risk both of all-cause and cardiac death (p < 0.0001 for both). Ten-year adjusted survival free of all-cause death, cardiac death, and hospital readmission were 76.9%, 94.7%, and 90.6%, respectively. In high-risk patients with CP, performing pericardiectomy before severe constriction develops and avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass (when possible) could contribute to improving immediate outcomes post-surgery. Complete removal of cardiac constriction could enhance long-term outcomes.

Surgical Pericardiectomy for Constrictive Pericarditis: A Single Tertiary Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Although surgery is the sole therapeutic option for patients with constrictive pericarditis (CP), reports on high postoperative mortality rates have led to hesitant surgery referral. The aim of this study was to report the short- and long-term outcomes of surgical pericardiectomy (SP) from a large tertiary center. METHODS: Between January 2005 and January 2017, 55 consecutive patients underwent SP after comprehensive echocardiography, computed tomography, and hemodynamic studies. Detailed clinical, imaging, surgical techniques and follow-up outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: The most common etiology was idiopathic (n = 27, 49%) and 33 patients (60%) were in functional class 3/4. Sixteen patients (29%) underwent concomitant interventions during SP, and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was used in these, as well as in four additional cases. Complete resection, independent of CPB, was achieved in 96%. One patient died during the index hospitalization, and four (7%) needed re-explorations due to bleeding. While 12 patients (22%) died during a mean follow-up of 52 ± 39 months, only 1 death was due to right heart failure. Functional class significantly improved (with a p-value < 0.001), diuretics were discontinued in all, and significant reductions of right atrial pressures were recorded. None of these outcomes differed as a result of concomitant interventions at the time of SP. CONCLUSION: Short- and long-term outcomes of SP, performed either alone or concomitantly with other procedures, indicate high safety and favorable clinical and hemodynamic efficacy for the treatment of CP.

Re-pericardiectomy for recurrent chronic constrictive pericarditis: left anterolateral thoracotomy is a better approach.

BACKGROUND: Pericardiectomy is the final treatment for constrictive pericarditis. However, this greatest surgical approach is still very controversial. This study pursued to assess the outcomes in patients with recurrent chronic constrictive pericarditis undergoing reoperated pericardiectomy via median sternotomy versus left anterolateral thoracotomy and to explain which surgical approaches might be better for recurrent chronic constrictive pericarditis. METHODS: A total of 24 patients were identified with recurrent chronic constrictive pericarditis and underwent reoperation with pericardiectomy between July 2003 and July 2015. The decision for this surgical approach was mainly dependent on the operating surgeon's preference. Out of 20 patients, 16 patients underwent pericardiectomy via median sternotomy and 8 patients via left anterolateral thoracotomy pericardiectomy. Their data were obtained retrospectively from the case notes. RESULTS: Both groups of patients were similar in age, gender between two operations, and also in peripheral venous pressure, cardiac rhythm and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class distribution. The mortality rates were similar in both groups with one death (12.5%) due to low cardiac output syndrome in the left anterolateral thoracotomy group and two deaths (12.5%) in the median sternotomy group. All the deaths were associated with cardiac complications and happened in the perioperative period. NYHA functional class status enhanced in most of the patients. Patients in both groups had a similar and significant improvement in their NYHA status that improved from 3.4 ± 0.7 to 1.8 ± 0.1 (P = 0.001) in the left anterolateral thoracotomy group and reduced from 3.3 ± 0.6 to 1.9 ± 0.4 (P = 0.001) in the median sternotomy group. There was a significantly greater rate of pulmonary infection in the thoracotomy group than in the median sternotomy group (50% versus 25%, P = 0.02). Nevertheless, there was a significantly greater occurrence of wound infections in the median sternotomy group in 3 patients versus in one patient of the left anterolateral thoracotomy group (18.8% versus 12.5%, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Left thoracotomy incision was preferred to sternotomy in the current setting of this situation and was done safely without CPB. It avoided life-threatening sternal infection and it also has showed an equal as well las significant enhancement of NYHA status of the patients.

Long-term results of radical pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis in Korean population.

BACKGROUND: The extent of pericardiectomy is an important issue in constrictive pericarditis but its impact on long-term outcomes has been rarely reported. We compared long-term results of radical pericardiectomy with conventional phrenic to phrenic pericardiectomy. METHODS: Ninety patients who underwent pericardiectomies between February 1995 and April 2015 were reviewed retrospectively. They were classified into conventional (n = 37) and radical (n = 53) groups according to pericardiectomy being performed anterior or posterior to the phrenic nerves, respectively. The follow-up duration at outpatient clinic was 37.6 (11.7, 86.6) months and the survival data until 91.6 (54.5, 147.0) months were obtained. The last echocardiographies were done at 22.4 (4.35, 60.85) months. RESULTS: The early mortality rate was 4.4% (4/90). They all belonged to the conventional group and died of low cardiac output syndrome. The survival rate was higher in the radical group (P = .032, 74.7 ± 9.2% versus 50.4 ± 11.9% in 20 years). NYHA class of both groups had recovered until the last follow-up but the radical group showed better recovery (P < .001). The conventional pericardiectomy (HR = 6.181; 95% CI (1.042, 36.656)), redosternotomy (HR = 6.441; 95% CI (1.224, 33.889) and preoperative grade of tricuspid regurgitation (HR = 15.003; 95% CI (1.099, 204.894) were associated with late mortality. Right ventricular systolic pressure decreased, and pericardial thickening resolved only in the radical group with significant intergroup differences as time went on. Tricuspid regurgitation worsened after the operation in both groups, but it deteriorated more in the conventional group. However, it improved over time in the radical group. CONCLUSIONS: Radical pericardiectomy led to greater improvement in right ventricular systolic pressure and lesser deterioration of tricuspid regurgitation with the passage of time than did the conventional procedure. Conventional pericardiectomy and preoperative higher grade tricuspid regurgitation were associated with long-term mortality.

[Ten questions about constrictive pericarditis]. / Dieci quesiti in tema di pericardite costrittiva.

Constrictive pericarditis is one of the most feared complications of patients with pericarditis, especially if recurrent. The common perception is that the higher the number of recurrences, the higher the risk of constriction. However, the risk of constriction is related to the etiology and not to the number of recurrences. Constriction has never been reported as a complication of idiopathic recurrent pericarditis, while the risk is low (<1%) after a first attack of idiopathic or viral pericarditis, intermediate for immune-mediated etiologies (2-5%, e.g. systemic inflammatory diseases, post-pericardiotomy syndromes) and cancer, and high especially for bacterial etiologies (20.30%, e.g. tuberculosis, purulent pericarditis). Constriction may be reversible in the setting of pericarditis and about 7-10% of patients with acute pericarditis may have transient constriction during the acute phase of inflammation, due to increased pericardial stiffness. Empiric anti-inflammatory therapy may prevent pericardiectomy in one half of cases.The clinical diagnosis is not easy but feasible with prompt recognition of the clinical symptoms and signs that may mimic heart failure and chronic hepatic disease (e.g. jugular vein distention, peripheral edema, ascites), the echocardiographic signs (e.g. septal bounce, respiratory variations of transmitral and tricuspid flows, annulus reversus, inferior vena cava plethora), and other imaging features (e.g. pericardial thickening in about 80% of cases, pericardial calcifications).In this paper, we will try to give an answer to common clinical doubts for assessing the risk of constriction, making the diagnosis, and addressing the therapy of these patients also underlying the possible outcomes.