Pericarditis y Pericardiectomía: Experiencia en el Hospital R. A. Calderón Guardia, 2003-2010

introduction. pericarditis may present with a pericardial effusion of variable size, inflammation alone or constrictive pericarditis. in a small percentage of cases, effusion and constriction can coincide. the causes of pericarditis are varied and on some occasions, surgery is recommended. this article is a report of our surgical experience in patients with pericarditis over the last 7 years at the r.a. calderón guardia hospital. methods. the medical records of 19 consecutive individuals seen from 2003 to 2010, with pericardial effusion or constrictive pericarditis who required a surgical procedure were reviewed. we excluded those individuals who had a hemorrhagic pericardial effusion associated with over anticoagulation and other patients with systemic pathology or recent cardiac surgery. results. there were 11 males and 8 females patients. a total of 16 patients had a pericardial effusion and 3 had constrictive pericarditis. nonspecific pericarditis was seen in 37% of the patients, 32% had infectious pericarditis, 26% had malignant pericarditis, and 1 had chylous pericarditis. three patients had human immunodeficiency virus, 2 had tuberculous pericarditis, and 1 had nonspecific pericarditis. only 1 patient died in association with the surgery. conclusion. the clinical, surgical and anesthesiological management of patients with pericarditis is reviewed. a low output syndrome seen after pericardial decompression is also described and discussed