Video-assisted pericardioscopy. How to improve diagnostic efficacy in pericardial effusions

OBJECTIVE: To assess, in a prospective way, the experience with video-assisted pericardioscopy obtained in patients with pericardial effusion of unclear etiology in the preoperative period. METHODS: From January 1998 to June 2000, 20 patients were operated upon with the aid of video-assisted pericardioscopy. On echocardiography, 17 of these patients had significant pericardial effusion, and 3 had moderate pericardial effusion. Video-assisted pericardioscopy was performed through a small incision of the Marfan type. RESULTS: The diagnosis of pericardial effusion was established as follows: idiopathic in 9 (45%) patients, neoplastic in 4 (20%), resulting from hypothyroidism in 3 (15%), tuberculous in 2 (10%), due to cholesterol in 1 (5%), and chylopericardial in 1 (5%). The biopsy was positive in 30% of the patients, and the etiology could not be defined in 45% of the patients. CONCLUSION: Video-assisted pericardioscopy proved to be a method with low morbidity and a high index of diagnostic positivity. A high percentage of pericardial effusions are caused by viral infections, which are not diagnosed through current methods, being, therefore, classified as idiopathic.

Flora of tropical Africa /by Daniel Oliver ... assisted by other botanists.

v. 1 1868 - Ranuncul-Connar

Flora of tropical Africa /by Daniel Oliver ... assisted by other botanists.

v. 2 1871 - Leguminosae-Ficoideae

Flora of tropical Africa /by Daniel Oliver ... assisted by other botanists.

v. 3 1877 - Umbelliferae-Eben

Flora of tropical Africa /by Daniel Oliver ... assisted by other botanists.

v. 4 (1-4) 1902-04 - Ola-Gentianeae

Flora of tropical Africa /by Daniel Oliver ... assisted by other botanists.

v. 4 (1-3) 1905-06 - Hydrophyll-Pedalineae

Flora of tropical Africa /by Daniel Oliver ... assisted by other botanists.

v. 5 (1-3) 1899-1900 - Acanth-Plantagineae

Flora of tropical Africa /by Daniel Oliver ... assisted by other botanists.

v. 6 (1-6) 1909-13 - Nyctagineae-Euphorbi

Flora of tropical Africa /by Daniel Oliver ... assisted by other botanists.

v. 6 (1-2) 1916-17 - Ulm-Cycad

Flora of tropical Africa /by Daniel Oliver ... assisted by other botanists.

v. 7 (1-3) 1897-98

Flora of tropical Africa /by Daniel Oliver ... assisted by other botanists.

v. 8 (1-3) 1901-02 - Pontederi-Cyper

Flora australiensis:a description of the plants of the Australian territory /by George Bentham, assisted by Ferdinand Mueller.

v. 1

Flora australiensis:a description of the plants of the Australian territory /by George Bentham, assisted by Ferdinand Mueller.

v. 2

The illustrated dictionary of gardening :a practical and scientific encyclopædia of horticulture for gardeners and botanists /edited by George Nicholson ; assisted by J.W.H. Trail ... and J. Garrett ...

v. 1

The illustrated dictionary of gardening :a practical and scientific encyclopædia of horticulture for gardeners and botanists /edited by George Nicholson ; assisted by J.W.H. Trail ... and J. Garrett ...

v. 2