Why the study?
Does pericardial irrigation with streptokinase improve pus clearance and prevent constriction in children with purulent pericarditis?
Does pericardial irrigation with streptokinase improve pus clearance and prevent constriction in children with purulent pericarditis?
Intrapericardial streptokinase irrigation effectively clears pus in pediatric purulent pericarditis and prevents constriction, but carries a risk of severe hemorrhagic complications.
Should not yet change practice in pediatric purulent pericarditis; leaves open streptokinase irrigation's net benefit pending controlled data.
Six consecutive children with proven purulent pericarditis were treated with pericardial irrigation with streptokinase. Mean (SD) 861 (678) ml (range 240-2000) of thick purulent fluid was drained, and five children had complete clearance of the pus within 3-8 days. One child developed intrapericardial haemorrhage with a submitral pseudoaneurysm and underwent patch closure of the neck of the aneurysm as well as anterior pericardiectomy. Follow up of 13 to 30 months revealed no pericardial constriction.
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Juneja et al. (1999) studied this question.
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