Hemodynamic Studies Following Pericardiectomy

PERICARDIECTOMY for constrictive peri-carditis was first successfully performed just over 50 years ago ' and has subsequently become the accepted definitive method of treatment. Postoperative clinical evaluations during this time have indicated good to excel-lent results in the majority of patients.2 8 Despite the wide use of cardiac catheteriza-tion in the preoperative evaluation of patients with constrictive pericarditis, there have been only scattered reports of postoperative hemo-dynamic studies.9 20 Moreover, the data ob-tained and conclusions reached have varied considerably, from the demonstration of nor-mal findings9 10 to the conclusion that restitu-tion of completely normal cardiac function seldom occurs.1 " 21 The postoperative evalua-tion of these patients has been complicated by disparate opinions regarding the proper in-cision to provide optimal surgical exposure and the extent of decortication necessary to decompress the heart adequately.2 8-14 22 27 The purpose of this report is to present the hemodynamic findings and clinical results in 14 patients following pericardiectomy for con-strictive pericarditis