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Acute pericarditis with transient constriction: surgical impetus must be contained

Andre C Marques1, Daniela Calderaro, Pai C Yu

  • 1Heart Institute, Interdisciplinary Medicine in Cardiology Unit, Av Dr Eneas Carvalho de Aguiar, 44, São Paulo, 05406000, Brazil.

BMJ Case Reports
|June 21, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Transient constrictive pericarditis, a rare complication of acute pericarditis, can mimic chronic constrictive pericarditis but resolves with medical treatment, avoiding unnecessary surgery.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Constrictive pericarditis is a chronic condition often requiring surgical pericardiectomy.
  • Acute pericarditis is usually self-limiting but can rarely lead to transient constrictive pericarditis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a case of acute idiopathic pericarditis with transient constrictive features.
  • To highlight the importance of recognizing this pattern to prevent unnecessary surgical intervention.

Main Methods:

  • Case report of a 29-year-old male with acute idiopathic pericarditis.
  • Clinical assessment and management of constrictive signs.

Main Results:

  • The patient presented with overt signs of constriction.
  • Complete recovery was achieved with medical treatment alone.
  • No surgical intervention was required.

Conclusions:

  • Transient constrictive pericarditis is a recognizable entity complicating acute pericarditis.
  • Distinguishing transient from chronic constriction is crucial for appropriate management.
  • Medical management can be effective, preventing surgical morbidity.

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