Idiopathic chronic constrictive pericarditis secondary to calcified pericardial haematoma

Nael Al-Sarraf1, Kishore Doddakula, David Moore

  • 1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. trinityq8@hotmail.com

Insights

A rare calcified pericardial hematoma caused constrictive pericarditis symptoms. Prompt surgical intervention for this chronic presentation can be curative.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Thoracic Surgery
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Pericardial hematoma is typically an acute condition resulting from chest trauma.
  • Chronic presentations are exceptionally rare and poorly understood.
  • Constrictive pericarditis symptoms can mimic other cardiac conditions.

Observation:

  • A patient presented with symptoms of chronic constrictive pericarditis.
  • Imaging revealed a calcified mass in the pericardium.
  • The patient had no history of chest wall injury.

Findings:

  • The mass was diagnosed as a chronic, calcified pericardial hematoma.
  • This rare entity mimicked other causes of constrictive pericarditis.
  • Surgical excision was performed.

Implications:

  • Recognizing chronic calcified pericardial hematoma is crucial for accurate diagnosis.
  • Surgical treatment offers a curative option for this rare condition.
  • This case expands the known clinical spectrum of pericardial hematoma.

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