pericardium

[aopen]

when do they operate and what are dangers


This discussion is related to Constrictive Pericarditis.

[kenkeith]

When do they operate?  Pericarditis can restrict the filling phase and that limits the amount of blood pumped out with each heartbeat.  Or it can impair heart wall movement causing a reduction of blood pumped into circulation with each heartbeat.

The symptoms will be shortness of breath depending on the degree of inflammation as well as fatigue and chest pain.

[Fionamacknz]

On a recent x-ray the scar in the pericardium that was round as a quarter has sagged and is like a new moon with the cup upward.  Does this mean anything?

[kenkeith]

For some insight, scarring can prevent the heart from expanding to collect blood from the body. This limits the ability of the heart to function because it cannot collect blood and pump it to the lungs and then back to the body. The heart is constricted and cannot dilate normally. That would be the worst case scenario.