Vol 70, No 6 (2012)
Case studies
Published online: 2012-06-20
Drainage of pleural effusions in the course of unrecognised constrictive pericarditis: a cause of severe haemodynamic deterioration
DOI: 10.33963/v.kp.78889
Kardiol Pol 2012;70(6):615-617.
Abstract
Constrictive pericarditis (CP) is a rare disease which can be easily overlooked in the absence of typical pericardial calcification.
One of its most frequent manifestations is pleural effusion. We present a case report of a patient with unrecognised CP
in whom plerocentesis led to haemodynamic collapse, and we speculate about the potential pathomechanism. No obvious
criterion of CP or severe systolic dysfunction was found in baseline echocardiography. We consider that patients with advanced
CP are remarkably prone to haemodynamic decompensation secondary to pleural drain
Keywords: constrictive pericarditispleural effusiondrainage