The study reviews the survival of patients with malignant pericardial effusion treated with a subxiphoid pericardial window. The medical records of 60 consecutive patients diagnosed with a malignant pericardial effusion and treated with a subxiphoid pericardial window between 1994 and 2008 were reviewed. 72% had lung cancer. Overall 30-day mortality was 31%. Survival rates at 3 months, 6 months...

STUDY OBJECTIVES To determine the biochemical characteristics of large pericardial effusions in various disease states, and to assess their utility as diagnostic tools. SETTING An academic university hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa. DESIGN Consecutive, prospective case series. PATIENTS One hundred ten hospital patients > 12 years old, who presented to the echocardiography depar...

BACKGROUND Cardiac involvement is one of clinical presentations in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The pericardial fluid profile and the causes of pericardial effusion were our focus. OBJECTIVES To demonstrate the characteristics and causes of pericardial effusion in SSc. METHODS A descriptive retrospective study was performed on SSc patients with symptomatic pericardial effusion at Srinagarind H...

HYPOTHESIS The approach to pericardial window in patients with nontraumatic pericardial effusion impacts outcome. DESIGN Retrospective review and comparison of all cases of pericardial window performed over 10 years. Follow-up was to patient death. SETTING Three hospitals performing cardiothoracic surgery at a single university. PATIENTS All patients in whom pericardial window was perform...

BACKGROUND Pericardial effusion (PE) is not an uncommon finding in serial echocardiographic evaluation of patients with AMI, especially when infarction is anterior and extensive. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of pericardial effusion after first myocardial infarction and its effects on in-hospital morbidity and mortality. METHODS This descriptive study was performe...

BACKGROUND Pericardial fat has adverse effects on the surrounding vasculature. Previous studies suggest that pericardial fat may contribute to myocardial ischemia in symptomatic individuals. However, it is unknown if pericardial fat has similar effects in asymptomatic individuals. METHODS We determined the association between pericardial fat and myocardial blood flow (MBF) in 214 adults with ...

788 Communications to the Editor undergoing evaluation ofclinically-suspected malignant pericardial effusion. A rigid mediastinoscope was used for inspection of the posterior and lateral pericardial surfaces. A flexible bronchoscope was used in one patient to evaluate the anterior pericardial space. We have reported our results with flexible fiberoptic pericardioscopy in seven successive patien...

BACKGROUND Surgical drainage is a rapid and effective treatment for pericardial tamponade in cancer patients. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of pericardial window formation via mini-thoracotomy for treating pericardial tamponade in cancer patients, and to evaluate clinical factors affecting long-term survival. METHODS Records of 53 cancer patients with pericardial tamponade treated...

BACKGROUND Mesothelioma is a rare neoplasm which commonly develops in the pleura of people exposed to asbestos. Pericardial mesothelioma accounts for only 0.7 % of all malignant mesotheliomas and it usually presents with pericardial effusion, mimicking serositis. To date, there are approximately 200 cases of pericardial mesothelioma described in the medical literature, and little knowledge exis...

The prevalence of primary pericardial neoplasms ranges from about 0.001%– 0.007%. Primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma is extremely rare, with a reported prevalence of 0.0022% in autopsy series [1]. Although malignant mesothelioma is the most common primary malignancy of the pericardium, only approximately 350 cases of pericardial mesothelioma have been reported in the literature. Diagnos...