Pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis: single-center experience in China

OBJECTIVE: Pericardiectomy is associated with a high prevalence of morbidity and mortality. We evaluated the predictors of in-hospital complications and outcome for pericardiectomy procedure for patients with constrictive pericarditis (CP) in a single-center in China. METHODS: One-hundred sixty-five patients who underwent pericardiectomy for CP between January 1990 and December 2012 at our hospital were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean age of the study cohort was 36.79 ± 18.52 years. The approach was through a median sternotomy in 91.5% of patients. Cardiopulmonary bypass was used in 14.5% (24/165 patients). Unadjusted rates of mortality and complication were approximately 5.4% and 23%, respectively. The main cause of death was severe low cardiac output syndrome. Major complications were postoperative low cardiac output syndrome, reoperation for bleeding, pneumonia, mediastinitis, chylothorax and cerebral infarction. One-year survival was 92%. One-year follow-up revealed that New York Heart Association functional class III or IV, age, intraoperative use of cardiac pulmonary bypass and hemodialysis were associated with increased mortality and morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Total pericardiectomy is associated with lower perioperative and late mortality, and the extent of pericardial resection should be decided according to individual conditions. Perioperative management and complete release of the thickened pericardium of the left ventricle should prevent postoperative complications.