pericardectomies at shariati hospital: a retrospective study

- pericardectomy was first accomplished hi germany in 1913. it is obligatory when a pathologic condition in the pericardium increases pressure on the heart. the most common disease thai causes this process is constrictive pericarditis. tuberculosis was formerly the most common cause of the latter. a retrospective review of pericardectomy for constrictive pericarditis was undertaken in shariati hospital, forty patients (21 male, and 1° female) were operated on during a period of s years. dyspnea, chest pain and fatigue were the most common symptoms. the etiology was not clear in 17 cases. diagnosis of tuberculosis was confirmed in 10 patients. chronic renal failure and diabetes mellnus were two important causes of comorbidity. after pericardectomy, 31 patients recovered without any complications, and 3 patients died. one patient developed heart failure, one patient pneumothorax and in / patients arrhythmias were encountered.