Figure 37

A case of Constrictive Pericarditis with swollen legs, neck vein distension, enlarged liver, and EKG showing low voltage and ectopic atrial tachycardia (Panel A). Heart catherterization showed diastolic equalization of the right atrial (RA) pressure, right ventricular (RV) pressure, pulmonary-artery (PA) pressure, and pulmonary -capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), indicated by the red line in Panel B.
Chest film showed a thickened pericardium (arrows in Panel C). Computed tomograhpic scan (CT) showed a dilated superior vena cava (SVC), and a thickened pericardium (arrows in Panel E). Heart catherterization also showed dialstolic equalization of the left and right ventricular pressures.
Marked pericardial thickening (P) (arrows in Panel H) was also shown during pericardial stripping.

Atwood, J.E., Osterberg, L., Constructive Pericarditis, The New England Journal of Medicine, July 13, 2000, p106.

click to close window