[Pericardial-peritoneal Window After Pericardiectomy:Report of a Case]

A 55-year-old male patient, who was diagnosed as having constrictive pericarditis. He was transferred to our hospital for surgical treatment because of uncontrollable heart failure requiring catecholamine, which was uncontrollable by medical treatment. Postoperative drainage from the pericardial drain tube did not decrease, diuretics and anti-inflammatory drugs were not effective, so a pericardioperative peritoneal window was opened on 34 days after surgery. Postoperatively, it could be controlled with diuretics within two weeks after the window opening. He was discharged from the hospital 37 days after the window opening. Refractory pericardial effusions that do not improve with drug therapy require drainage, but if the drainage volume does not decrease, window opening into the abdominal or thoracic cavity may be an option.