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Constrictive pericarditis after heart transplantation: a case report.
Vincent Tchana-Sato1, Arnaud Ancion2, François Ansart1
1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, CHU Liege, Sart Tilman B35, 4000 Liege, Belgium.
European Heart Journal. Case Reports
|September 25, 2020
Summary
Constrictive pericarditis is a rare complication after heart transplantation. Early recognition and surgical pericardiectomy are crucial for successful recovery in heart transplant recipients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Transplantation Medicine
- Cardiac Surgery
Background:
- Constrictive pericarditis (CP) involves pericardial inflammation, fibrosis, and thickening.
- CP after heart transplantation (HT) occurs in 1.4-3.9% of recipients.
- CP mimics other conditions like restrictive cardiomyopathy, posing diagnostic challenges.
Observation:
- A heart transplant recipient developed zoster-related pericardial effusion 9 months post-transplant.
- The patient later presented with symptoms of volume overload and right heart failure.
- Multimodal imaging confirmed constrictive pericarditis.
Findings:
- Constrictive pericarditis is a rare but significant complication in heart transplant recipients.
- Patients with post-operative pericardial effusion or rejection episodes are at higher risk.
- Surgical pericardiectomy is the primary treatment for constrictive pericarditis.
Implications:
- Timely diagnosis of CP in heart transplant recipients is critical.
- Differentiating CP from other heart failure causes in this population is essential.
- Radical pericardiectomy offers a successful treatment option for constrictive pericarditis.
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