Clinical and surgical outcomes of pericardiectomy done by total anterolateral thoracotomy

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Constrictive Pericarditis is a chronic inflammatory process that leads to progressive pericardial fibrosis encasing the heart in a thickened and fibrotic pericardium. This leads to impaired diastolic filling of the cardiac chambers, end result of reduced cardiac output. Aim of study To analyze the perspectives of clinical outcomes and surgical results of pericardiectomy (total or subtotal) done by left anterolateral thoracotomy. Materials and methods: Totally 20 patients were included in the study. The study was conducted in the department of cardiothoracic surgery, Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital, From 2013-2017. Regardless of the age group, resection of the diseased pericardium was essential for minimizing early morbidity and mortality and improving long-term functional results and quality of life. This study was designed to compare two types of surgical technique of pericardiectomy, total and subtotal pericardiectomy by left anterolateral thoracotomy. Results: There was a lesser degree of pulmonary complications in both the groups' patients requiring antibiotic therapy and two patients required bronchoscopy for retained secretions and two patients had a pleural effusion, which required drainage. Conclusion: The results of pericardiectomy in terms of improvement in NYHA status and mortality are similar in both types of resection. The combination of chemotherapy and surgery yields good results in the treatment of tuberculosis pericarditis.