September 28, 1999Open Access
View Full PaperConstrictive Pericarditis in the Modern Era
Structured PICO
Does pericardiectomy improve symptoms and long-term prognosis in patients with constrictive pericarditis?
P
Population
Patients with constrictive pericarditis, including older patients and those with radiation-induced disease
I
Intervention
Pericardiectomy
O
Outcome
Postoperative prognosis and symptom improvement
While pericardiectomy improves symptoms in most late survivors of constrictive pericarditis, long-term prognosis remains poor for patients with radiation-induced disease.
Abstract
The evolving profile of CP, with increasingly older patients and those with radiation-induced disease in the past decade, significantly affects postoperative prognosis. Long-term results of pericardiectomy are disappointing for some patient groups, especially those with radiation-induced CP. By contrast, surgery alleviates or improves symptoms in the majority of late survivors.