Completion Pericardiectomy for Recurrent Constrictive Pericarditis: Importance of Timing of Recurrence on Late Clinical Outcome of Operation

The significant early mortality of repeat pericardiectomy emphasizes the importance of complete pericardial resection at first operation and accurate diagnosis of recurrent constriction. The poor clinical outcome of late (more than 1 year) reoperation suggests that many of these patients may have unrecognized diastolic dysfunction or recurrent mediastinal scarring as the cause of right-side heart failure rather than incomplete initial pericardiectomy.