Pericardiectomy for Acute Constrictive Staphylococcal Pericarditis

THE majority of patients with acute pericarditis from any one of a variety of causes recover without the development of constrictive pericarditis.1 However, depending on the type and severity of the acute pericarditis, the response to initial therapy and subsequent bouts of recurrent pericarditis, chronic constrictive pericarditis requiring surgical intervention may occur months to years later. These general remarks are applicable to cases of true idiopathic or nonspecific pericarditis, acute viral pericarditis, posttraumatic pericarditis with or without effusion or hemopericardium and acute tuberculous pericarditis.2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Acute suppurative or purulent pericarditis may behave differently.9 , 10 Often during the acute and active exudative phases, . . .