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Constrictive pericarditis localized to left ventricle presented with left pleural effusion: a case report
Ilyas Akdemir1, Vedat Davutoglu, Mehmet Aksoy
1Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gaziantep, Gaziantep, Turkey. ilyasakdemir@hotmail.com
Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
|June 6, 2002
Summary
A rare case of localized constrictive pericarditis caused unilateral pleural effusion and dyspnea in an 18-year-old woman. Surgical intervention successfully resolved the patient's symptoms, highlighting the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment for this condition.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Thoracic Surgery
Background:
- Constrictive pericarditis is inflammation and thickening of the pericardium, often leading to impaired cardiac function.
- Localized constrictive pericarditis is a rare form that affects only a portion of the pericardium, potentially mimicking other conditions.
Observation:
- An 18-year-old woman presented with progressive dyspnea and cough, accompanied by unilateral left-sided pleural effusion and low voltage on ECG.
- Physical examination revealed diminished breath sounds and distant heart sounds, with imaging showing thickened pericardium localized to the left ventricle.
Findings:
- Transthoracic echocardiogram and chest CT confirmed localized constrictive pericarditis impairing diastolic filling and associated with unilateral pleural effusion.
- The patient's clinical presentation was directly attributed to the localized pericardial constriction.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering localized constrictive pericarditis in the differential diagnosis of unilateral pleural effusion and dyspnea, even in young patients.
- Surgical treatment led to symptom improvement, demonstrating the efficacy of intervention for this specific condition.