Asymptomatic Postoperative Pericardial Effusions: Against the Routine Use of Anti-inflammatory Drug Therapy
Authors: Massimo Imazio
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2010)

Editorials2 February 2010Asymptomatic Postoperative Pericardial Effusions: Against the Routine Use of Anti-inflammatory Drug TherapyMassimo Imazio, MDMassimo Imazio, MDFrom Maria Vittoria Hospital, 10141 Turin, Italy.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-152-3-201002020-00012 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail The management of postoperative pericardial effusion is a common problem in clinical practice—50% to 85% of patients develop effusion after cardiac surgery (1–3). Cardiac tamponade, the most feared complication, occurs in approximately 2% of patients and is observed even among those who have a subacute course and are beyond 7 days after surgery (3). The pathogenesis of postoperative effusions is not completely understood. Early effusions (within 5 to 7 days of surgery) are probably related to pericardial bleeding and perioperative trauma, whereas late effusions are considered the possible consequence of pericarditis. These late effusions often characterize the so-called "postpericardiotomy syndrome" ...References1. Weitzman LB, Tinker WP, Kronzon I, Cohen ML, Glassman E, Spencer FC. The incidence and natural history of pericardial effusion after cardiac surgery—an echocardiographic study. Circulation. 1984;69:506-11. [PMID: 6692512] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Pepi M, Muratori M, Barbier P, Doria E, Arena V, Berti M, et al. Pericardial effusion after cardiac surgery: incidence, site, size, and haemodynamic consequences. Br Heart J. 1994;72:327-31. [PMID: 7833189] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Meurin P, Weber H, Renaud N, Larrazet F, Tabet JY, Demolis P, et al. Evolution of the postoperative pericardial effusion after day 15: the problem of the late tamponade. Chest. 2004;125:2182-7. 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[PMID: 19673674] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Maria Vittoria Hospital, 10141 Turin, Italy.Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M09-2758.Corresponding Author: Massimo Imazio, MD, Cardiology Department, Maria Vittoria Hospital, Via Cibrario 72, 10141 Turin, Italy; e-mail, [email protected]it. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoNonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug Treatment for Postoperative Pericardial Effusion Philippe Meurin , Jean Yves Tabet , Gabriel Thabut , Pascal Cristofini , Titi Farrokhi , Michel Fischbach , Bernard Pierre , Ahmed Ben Driss , Nathalie Renaud , Marie Christine Iliou , Hélène Weber , and Metrics Cited byColchicine prevents early postoperative pericardial and pleural effusionsColchicine prevents early postoperative pericardial and pleural effusionsEvaluation and management of pericarditisTriage and management of pericardial effusionPericardial effusion triage 2 February 2010Volume 152, Issue 3Page: 186-187KeywordsAnticoagulant therapyCardiac surgeryColchicineCorticosteroid therapyDrug therapyInflammationNSAIDsPathogenesisPericardial diseases ePublished: 2 February 2010 Issue Published: 2 February 2010 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2010 by American College of Physicians. 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