PEDIATRICS Vol. 66 No. 4 October 1980, pp. 585-588
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Clapp, S. K.
Right arrow Articles by McNamara, D. G.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Clapp, S. K.
Right arrow Articles by McNamara, D. G.

Postoperative Pericardial Effusion and Its Relation to Postpericardiotomy Syndrome

Sandra K. Clapp MD1, Arthur Garson Jr MD1, Howard P. Gutgesell MD1, Denton A. Cooley MD1, and Dan G. McNamara MD1

1 Lillie Frank Abercrombie Section of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, and Texas Heart Institute, Houston

Postpericardiotomy syndrome often delays recovery from cardiac operation. Pericardial effusion is an important sequela of postpericardiotomy syndrome. To define the relationship between postpericardiotomy syndrome and pericardial effusion, we performed four to seven serial echocardiograms (echoes) between postoperative day 0 and postoperative day 10 in 40 children who had operation requiring pericardiotomy. We also performed daily physical examination on each patient for clinical evidence of postpericardiotomy syndrome. Echocardiographic signs of pericardial effusion developed in 21/40 patients (53%). The effusion was present by postoperative day 5 in 19/21 patients. Clinical signs of postpericardiotomy syndrome occurred in 18/40 patients (45%). Among the 18 patients with postpericardiotomy syndrome, 16 had echocardiographic evidence of pericardial effusion. Thus the sensitivity of the echocardiogram was 89%. The pericardial effusion always developed prior to and persisted through clinical symptoms. We conclude that (1) pericardial effusion is present in over 50% of the patients following cardiac surgery, (2) it develops early in the postoperative period, and (3) once present, the effusion is persistent and frequently followed by clinical evidence of postpericardiotomy syndrome.

Submitted on November 26, 1979
Accepted on March 28, 1980




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg.Home page
S. Agati, C. Mignosa, P. Gitto, E. S. Trimarchi, G. Ciccarello, D. Salvo, and G. Trimarchi
A method for chest drainage after pediatric cardiac surgery: A prospective randomized trial
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., June 1, 2006; 131(6): 1306 - 1309.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg.Home page
A. E. Newcomb, N. Alphonso, M. A. Norgaard, A. D. Cochrane, T. R. Karl, and C. P. Brizard
High-vacuum drains rival conventional underwater-seal drains after pediatric heart surgery
Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., March 1, 2005; 27(3): 395 - 400.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 HeartHome page
E W Y Cheung, S A Ho, K K Y Tang, A K T Chau, C S W Chiu, and Y F Cheung
Pericardial effusion after open heart surgery for congenital heart disease
Heart, July 1, 2003; 89(7): 780 - 783.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]