[Constrictive pericarditis secondary to myocardial infarction. Surgical care]

The authors report the case of anteroseptal myocardial infarction, complicated by a late pericardial reaction (5th - 10th week), the development of an aneurysm, and, above all, refractory ascites (12th week) found to be secondary to constrictive pericarditis. Pericardectomy and partial resection of the aneurysm were performed. Constrictive pericarditis is rare after myocardial infarction and its relationship to a forme fruste of Dressler's syndrome remains uncertain. The pathogenesis of the constriction is unknown. This complication (only reported once previously) should be recognised because of the surgical management it implies.