Severe Heart Failure Due to Subacute Effusive–Constrictive Pericarditis in a Child

摘要

We report a 9-year-old boy with progressive heart failure due to effusive–constrictive pericarditis. The patient was successfully rescued by extensive surgical removal of the thickened pericardium. The histopathological examination revealed degenerative changes of myocardium without significant inflammation, indicating that surgical pericardiectomy should be performed for subacute effusive–constrictive pericarditis before progression to definite constrictive pericarditis.