Our patient was incidentally detected to have 32 mm secundum ASD with deficient postero-inferior margin. Pericardial patch closure of the defect on cardiopulmonary bypass through the right posterolateral thoracotomy was uneventful; she was shifted to the ward on the 2nd day after chest tube removal. Although she remained asymptomatic, predischarge echocardiogram on the 6th day showed no residua...

An isolated intrapericardial diaphragmatic hernia is very rare. Only 15 cases have been reported, 2 of which are in adults. The defect in the anterior diaphragm allows abdominal contents to enter the pericardial cavity. We report the 16th case--the third in an adult--and its laparoscopic repair.

S = support of heart afforded by the pericardium T = tone of muscle. The support of the pericardium is due to the negative pressure in the pericardial cavity which I have shown is present in health. This negative pressure causes a suction action which keeps the pericardium right up against the heart save for the thin layer of pericardial fluid so necessary for lubrication. F varies directly wit...

Objective. The purpose of this study was to investigate safety and feasibility of some surgical approaches to the supradiaphragmatic inferior vena cava (IVC) and the right atrium through the diaphragm from the abdominal cavity. Materials and Methods. The material of the anatomical study included 35 fresh cadavers. Several options of surgical access to the supradiaphragmatic IVC were successivel...

We present a new approach utilising VATS and a Port-system (Medi-Port MP-GS9; IAP-HMP) that allows home management of pericardial effusion in patients with advanced malignancy and recurrent effusion. All patients underwent thoracoscopic pericardial window under general anaesthesia. On completion of this procedure a Port-system was permanently implanted with the reservoir body placed in a subcut...

The pericardium is a sac that normally consists of two apposed serous surfaces that surround a closed potential space. The pericardial space normally contains 5 to 50 mLs of serous fluid. This potential space is complex in that various reflections of pericardial tissue create sinuses (in this circumstance a sinus is defined as a depression or cavity formed by bending or curving) within the peri...

We describe a patient with oedema of the legs and ascites due to right atrial (RA) inflow obstruction, caused by atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) and an elongated Eustachian valve (EV). Both structural abnormalities created a narrow inflow channel to the free RA cavity. RA inflow obstruction is usually related to constrictive pericardial disease and pericardial tamponade. Other cardiac causes of RA...

Pericardial rupture after blunt chest trauma is described in the literature. This case report summarises our experience with a 22-year old male patient who suffered blunt chest trauma during a motor vehicle accident. On admission no serious injuries could be detected, but 3 hours later, displacement of the heart to the right hemithorax combined with sudden cardiac failure appeared. Emergency th...

In the echocardiographic assessment of patients with pericardial effusions, the apparent width of the echo-free space between the left ventricular posterior wall and the parietal pericardium is commonly used to estimate the amount of pericardial fluid present. In 4 patients with pericardial effusions, we showed a distinct disparity between the widths of the posterior pericardial space at differ...