Radical pericardiectomy on cardiopulmonary bypass is the preferred surgical approach for chronic constrictive or refractory recurrent pericarditis, best performed at high-volume centers.
Remarkable advances have occurred in the understanding of the pathophysiology of pericardial diseases and the role of multimodality imaging in this field. Medical therapy and surgical options for pericardial diseases have also evolved substantially. Pericardiectomy is indicated for chronic or irreversible constrictive pericarditis, refractory recurrent pericarditis despite optimal medical therapy, or partial agenesis of the pericardium with a complication (eg, herniation). A multidisciplinary evaluation before pericardiectomy is essential for optimal patient outcomes. Overall, given the good outcomes reported, radical pericardiectomy on cardiopulmonary bypass, if feasible, is the preferred approach. Due to patient complexity, as well as the technical aspects of the surgery, pericardiectomy should be performed at high-volume centers that have the required expertise. The current review highlights the essential features of this multidisciplinary approach from diagnosis to recovery in patients undergoing pericardiectomy.
“There are currently no guidelines from the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association for managing pericardial diseases. According to ESC recommendations, surgical treatment with pericardiectomy is the only definitive treatment for chronic CP. The 2015 ESC/EACTS guidelines recommend resecting “as much as possible” of the pericardium while avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass, using it only in cases of uncontrollable bleeding.”
A multicenter study published in JACC demonstrates that an AI technique called Virtual Native Enhancement (VNE) can create 'virtual contrast' heart MRI images, potentially eliminating the need for gadolinium-based contrast agents in many patients.
Al‐Kazaz et al. (Mon,) conducted a review in Pericardial diseases. Pericardiectomy was evaluated. Radical pericardiectomy on cardiopulmonary bypass is the preferred surgical approach for chronic constrictive or refractory recurrent pericarditis, best performed at high-volume centers.