Role of the Pericardioscopy in the Treatment of Pericardial Effusion

Abstract

In recent years surgical treatment of pericardial effusion has been favoured by mini-invasive interventions. Pericardioscopy supplements it. In the literature actively discusses its expediency, efficiency and informativeness.Aim of the study. Analyze our experience of using pericardioscopy during surgical treatment of pericardial effusion using mini-invasive interventions.Materials and methods. From 2000 to 2017, 92 patients with pericardial effusion were operated in our clinic using mini-invasive interventions. Pericardioscopy was used in 72 (78.26 %) cases. In 32 (44.44 %) pericardioscopy was performed with subxiphoid pericardiotomy, in 40 (55.56 %) -with thoracoscopy on the right or left side.Results and discussion. The use of pericardioscopy has allowed to significantly reduce the number of idiopathic pericarditis from 20.0 % to 5.56 % and increase the informativeness of the minimally invasive interventions by 14.44 % (χ 2 =4.11, with ν=1, α=5 %). There is no reliable difference in the number of relapses of the disease.Conclusions. The use of pericardioscopy during mini-invasive interventions is safe and effective. The method of choice in most cases is subxiphoid non-pleural pericardiotomy with pericardioscopy.