[Total pericardectomy. Exceptional treatment for recurrent idiopathic cortico-dependent pericarditis]

The authors report a case of definitive treatment of idiopathic relapsing pericarditis by total pericardectomy in the absence of signs of constrictive pericarditis after a 15 month period marked by multiple invalidating recurrences and the development of dependence on corticosteroid therapy. The indications of total pericardectomy must be discussed in these exceptional cases of failure of medical therapy in idiopathic relapsing pericarditis.