Results Subxiphoid pericardial drainage and right thoracic pleural drainage were performed under local anesthesia. Pericardial serous fluid of 400 ml was drained. The right pleural serous fluid of 500 ml was drained. A subxiphoid pericardial and right thoracic drainage tube were inserted during surgery and removed after 4 days. No microorganism was cultivated from pericardial and pleural fluids...

Most institutions performing cardiopulmonary bypass for congenital heart disease patients use an integrated hard shell cardiotomy and venous reservoir attached to an oxygenator. It is of paramount importance that the integrated reservoir be vented so as not to cause pressurization. A pressurized sealed cardiotomy has been reported to occur secondary to issues with vacuum assisted venous drainag...

1459 daily during at least 6 months in cases of recurrent pericarditis and during 3 months in cases of first episodes of pericarditis. Our results were recently reported,4 and they confirm the findings of Guindo et all and Rodriguez de la Serna et al.2 Eleven patients with recurrent pericarditis were included in the study. Previous treatments (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in 10 patients...

We read with interest the manuscript by Ooi et al. (1), “Transcatheter Versus Surgical Closure of Atrial Septal Defects in Children: A Value Comparison,” and Dr. Bacha’s (2) accompanying editorial. Ooi et al.’s study adds to mounting literature that transcatheter interventions represent superior value to surgery. However, it also raises several methodological issues that deserve further attenti...

Pleuropericarditis has been described in many patients after a variety of cardiac insults, including infarction and surgery or trauma to the heart. The syndrome of fever, pleural effusion, chest pain, and an elevated sedimentation rate after cardiac injury is referred to as the postcardiac injury syndrome (PCIS). PCIS actually includes two distinct entities, the postmyocardial infarction syndro...

OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence and time course of pericardial effusion after open heart surgery for congenital heart diseases and to identify predisposing risk factors. DESIGN AND PATIENTS Prospective assessment of development of pericardial effusion in 336 patients (163 males) undergoing open heart surgery for congenital heart disease by serial echocardiography on days 5, 7, 14, 21, ...