Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Cox-Maze IV Procedure Concomitant with Valvular Surgery In Situs Inversus Dextrocardia: A Single-Center Experience in China
Published on: February 11, 2022
[Diagnosis difficulty in occult constrictive pericarditis]
P L Massoure1, V le Bouffos, F Roubertie
1Service de maladies cardiovasculaires, hôpital cardiologique du Haut-Lévêque, Pessac. plmassoure@aol.com
Insights
A 42-year-old woman
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Differentiating restrictive cardiomyopathy from constrictive pericarditis is challenging.
- Constrictive pericarditis can present with subtle signs, complicating diagnosis.
Observation:
- A patient initially diagnosed with cardiac heart failure due to restrictive cardiomyopathy was re-evaluated.
- Persistent symptoms led to further investigations over nine years.
Findings:
- The patient was ultimately diagnosed with occult constrictive pericarditis.
- The initial diagnosis of restrictive cardiomyopathy was incorrect.
Implications:
- This case highlights the diagnostic difficulties in distinguishing these two cardiac conditions.
- Improved diagnostic approaches are needed for occult constrictive pericarditis.
Abstract:
We report the case of a 42 years woman known to have a cardiac heart failure attributed to restrictive cardiomyopathy for want of any other plausible diagnosis. Evolution and repeted investigations finally permitted to rectify the diagnosis by revealing a constrictive pericarditis, remained occult 9 years during. The differentiation of restrictive cardiomyopathy and constrictive pericarditis has been a perennial problem in clinical cardiology. Diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis is based on associated signs sometimes too poor to go straight to thoracotomy. We discuss the mean to approach more precisely this uncommon pattern named occult constrictive pericarditis.
Related Concept Videos
Pericarditis II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests
Pericarditis III: Medical Management
Mitral Stenosis II: Clinical features and Diagnostic Tests
Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Pericarditis I: Introduction
