Rheumatic constrictive pericarditis

A Case of calcific constrictive pericarditis in ayoung White woman with a convincing history of previous aCute rheumatic fever complicated by a possible Valvular lesion is presented. Cardiac catheterization confirmed the suspicion of significant cardiac compression. Successful pericardiectomy was carried out, but microscopical examination of the excised pericardium failed to demonstrate a cause. In view of the strong past history of acute rheumatic fever and mild mitral insufficiency demonstrated at Cardiac catheterization, the author proposes that the calcific constrictive pericarditis .was of rheumatic origin. A review of the literature on the association between rheumatic infection and Constrictive pericarditis follows.