Constrictive Pericarditis in the Light of Multimodal Cardiac Imaging. A Case Report

Roxana Oana Darabont1,2, Cristian Ene2, Alina Ioana Nicula1,3

  • 1"Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.

Maedica
|August 17, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Constrictive pericarditis (CP) causing heart failure (HF) is rare but treatable. Early suspicion and advanced imaging are key for diagnosis and surgical correction, leading to full recovery.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cardiac Surgery
  • Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

  • Heart failure (HF) due to constrictive pericarditis (CP) is an uncommon but potentially curable condition.
  • High clinical suspicion is crucial for diagnosing HF when specific etiological signs are absent.
  • Modern imaging modalities like echocardiography and cardiac MRI are vital for accurate CP diagnosis.

Discussion:

  • This case report highlights a 60-year-old male with progressive HF successfully treated for CP.
  • Diagnosis was confirmed using echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.
  • Surgical intervention (subtotal pericardectomy) resulted in a complete recovery.

Key Insights:

  • Considering rare causes of HF, such as CP, is essential for appropriate patient management.
  • Prompt diagnosis through advanced imaging facilitates timely surgical intervention.
  • Constrictive pericarditis, though rare, offers significant potential for healing with surgical treatment.

Outlook:

  • Emphasizes the need for a broad differential diagnosis in HF cases.
  • Underscores the role of advanced cardiac imaging in identifying treatable causes of HF.
  • Suggests that early surgical correction of CP can lead to excellent patient outcomes.

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