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A pericardial window is a cardiac surgical procedure to create a fistula – or "window" – from the pericardial space to the pleural cavity. [1] The purpose of the window is to allow a pericardial effusion or cardiac tamponade to drain from the space surrounding the heart into the chest cavity. [2]
Pericardiectomy should not be used if more minor procedures are more appropriate, such as a pericardial window. [6] Pericardiectomy may not be appropriate for patients who already have a poor prognosis, as its medical benefit is reduced. This is because pericardiectomy has a higher rate of complications and a higher mortality. [6]
The typical signs of post-pericardiotomy syndrome include fever, pleuritis (with possible pleural effusion), pericarditis (with possible pericardial effusion), occasional but rare pulmonary infiltrates, and fatigue. [1] [2] Cough, pleuritic or retrosternal chest pain, joint pain and decreased oxygen saturation can also be seen in some cases. [1]
Pericardiocentesis is a one-off procedure, which may not be appropriate for long-term drainage. In cases where longer term drainage is needed, the cardiothoracic surgeon can create a pericardial window. This involves the removal of a section of the pericardium, and the placement of a chest tube. [citation needed]
Pericardial drainage. There are several therapeutic mechanisms that can be used to drain purulent fluid from the pericardial sac. These include pericardiocentesis, and possible subxiphoid pericardiotomy, pericardiectomy, and video-assisted thoracic surgery in complicated cases. [3] [8] [10]
Cardiac surgery, or cardiovascular surgery, is surgery on the heart or great vessels performed by cardiac surgeons.It is often used to treat complications of ischemic heart disease (for example, with coronary artery bypass grafting); to correct congenital heart disease; or to treat valvular heart disease from various causes, including endocarditis, rheumatic heart disease, [1] and ...
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It consists of fever, pleuritic pain, pericarditis and/or pericardial effusion. Dressler syndrome is also known as postmyocardial infarction syndrome [1] and the term is sometimes used to refer to post-pericardiotomy pericarditis. It was first characterized by William Dressler at Maimonides Medical Center in 1956. [2] [3] [4]