Total pericardectomy for chronic constrictive pericarditis. Early and late results

The early and late results of total pericardiectomy, performed over a 17 years period in 39 patients with chronic constrictive pericarditis, are presented. The overall operative mortality was 18%. With growing surgical experience and anesthesiological improvement, the operative morality of 26% during the first 12 years decreased to an acceptable 6.2% during the last 5 years. The cumulative 5 and 10 years survival rates were respectively 73% and 68%. Ninety-three percent of the surviving patients were classified in functional class I or II (NYHA classification), while preoperatively 90% of these cases belonged to class III or IV. Viewing these results it is concluded that the tendency towards early surgery should be encouraged, especially because the chronic state is accompanied by several deleterious effects.

Uremic pericarditis. Treatment by limited pericardiectomy

Between 1963 and 1979, limited pericardiectomy through left anterolateral thoracotomy was performed in 14 patients with uremic pericarditis. Two patients died after operation and one patient presented an early recurrence. Within a mean follow-up time of 3.3 years there were 7 late deaths but no recurrences or no cases of constrictive pericardidis. After reviewing the literature, it is concluded that the best early and late results in uremic pericarditis are obtained with pericardiectomy through an anterolateral thoractomy, the subxiphoid approach with creation of a pericardial window being a good alternative in critically ill patients.

Aortofemoral grafting: factors influencing late results

During a 15-year period, the aortofemoral Dacron graft was used for revascularization of 615 limbs in 352 patients, with an overall operative mortality rate of 5.1% and a cumulative 10-year patency rate of 62%. The late complication rate was 27%, with late thrombosis being by far the most frequent complication (24%). Among several factors responsible for late occlusion, the presence of trifurcation disease and the site of the femoral anastomosis are by far the most important. Our procedure of choice for a thrombosed graft limb is thrombectomy and profundaplasty, which give a long-term patency rate of 68%.