Pericardial cysts

[vxscrts]

Hi there, I am new to the site. I am looking to find information on pericardial cysts. They are apparently 1 in 100.000 people have them and it is very unlikely to come across someone in person whom has one.

I have had several medical professionals opinions on this and only one doctor wished to remove it. I personally would like it removed. It is 6.5X7.5X3.5 cm and has an average density of -3 .  It is crescent shaped and it is located superficially to the right side of my pericardium.

At present it is only being observed on an annual basis. Just this week I was sent to the hospital because a doctor thought I had been having heart attacks, after having blood work done it was concluded that the chest pain wasn't from such. I constantly get chest pain and I would like to know if that seems to be a common symptom in people with pericardial cysts, and if they too are told that the cyst doesn't hurt. Honestly unless someone has had one I don't think anyone should be able to say they don't hurt.

This is quite stressful for not only me but for family too. I just wish it wasn't so uncommon and then maybe I could trust what I am told regarding them.

If someone with experience with pericardial cysts or even someone who has one would like to enlighten me a bit, it would be greatly appreciated.

I know that they can cause congestive heart failure from other litterature I have read thus posting on this page.

[LandonPMom]

My 8 month old son had an echo done to check his aortic arch he'd had open heart surgery on at 6 days old. In this echo, they found a mass in the sac with his heart, 2cmx2cm. They strongly believe it to be just a cyst, but he needs to get an MRI to confirm it. Pericardial Cyst they are calling it. 1 in 100,000 rare. His MRI is still not scheduled, and I am becoming quite impatient about it, as it should have been scheduled last week. ANY more info any of you have, I would greatly appreciate it!

[Healthkathas]

Did you get an answer to this? In addition to the symptoms mentioned in the above posts, I feel shaky all the time.

[PatsyMax]

Could a pericardial cyst cause tremors in my body if it was pressing on something?

[Adele119]

I am a 66 year old female who experienced my first attack when I was 30.  Went to the hospital for five days thinking I was having a heart attack.  At that time after ekg, echo and other tests, the best opinion was that I had a spastic muscle.  I suffered many more attacks, slept sitting up to minimize pain and heart burn, continued feeling breathless attacks going up hills or steps and many other uncomfortable feelings, such as racing heart, high blood pressure, etc.
Last two years, had a thorough MRI, etc. which displayed a 5x6 percardial cyst between my heart and lung.  At least there was a name for the years of off and on suffering and a way that I could do research.  
I seem to suffer with attacks that are exceedingly painful in the beginnning.  I pretty much shut down and rest and sleep in a reclinter, take Alleve and even a baby aspirin and water pill.  I eat less, do not drink coffee or alcohol during these periods or any food that can cause gas or indigestion. No champagne or even seltzer water.   I rest because I am really tired and have an overall feeling of malaise.  During these times, I also have to fight depression.  I do very little bending over or any strenuous activity.  Over the years, I have learned how to ease my suffering because, doctors don't think it's real????
I have moved to a new area and will begin a round of doctor visits since I now have a name.  I am just slowly recovering from a two week bout.
Adele

[jwilkersonearls170]

Hi everyone,
   My husband is 45 yrs old and was having issues of feeling on the verge of passing out especial if he did anything that was strenuous, he also was having chest pain major fatigue, and also breathing issues. In April he was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. A week later we was in ER due to sever chest pains.  While doing a complete work up they discovered a pericardial cyst on the right back side of his heart. It measures 3 in x 2 in.  He is still having this issues.  The cardiac surgeon says that it is not causing any of this things. Just wants to watch it.  He went into his cardiologist and she sent him right to surgeon, she wants it removed.  So go to this surgeon and he says same thing it can not be hurting and causing his problems. That he has operated on lots of these.???  I just dont know what to do as it is now stressing our whole family out.  Also, we was told that if it ruptured it was fatal.  Not sure what to do. If anyone has any info to help.

[leslikay05]

Hi, I am a 25 year old with a pericardial cyst. Diagnosed 2 years ago, its about 3cm x 4cm x 4cm in size, located at the Rt costo angle. I just have weird chest pains every now and then also feel VERY tired and fatigue. I have for over a year now and labs are fine, everything is fine and they keep telling my to leave the cyst alone that it's not the problem. Anyone else have chest pains and/or tiredness from these stupid things? Did it get better after removal? I'm not sure how to even get someone to take it out if every doctor keeps saying i've just got anxiety and the cyst isn't causing any of my symptoms. ANY help is appreciated! Thanks! I'm a CT/radiology tech and not stupid. I know my body and just feel something is up.

[j194]

what treatment did you end up having?

[sincerely12]

I get anxiety which (does) enhance my pain but I also get other things that enhance it like heartburn,lying down on my left side etc. but I also don't do anything that I'm aware of some times and it acts up so I would advise definately to eat healthier but it would not be one specific thing as this is a congenital defect that most likely was not caused by any specific action to begin with by the affected person.

[sincerely12]

I also have pericardial cyst so I can tell you that yes I have symptoms regularly dr.'s say similar to regular heart attacks,asthma and eurythmia. Unfortunately for me I also have it so rare that it sits next to my lung and I have scoliosis so I didn't know if my pain was from scoliosis or the heart, or both. It could be helpful to share notes. Dr.'s want to remove mine but I m hesitant as they have little to no experience.

[Cheermom11]

I am a 35 year old female who was very healthy until June 2011.  I started to get shortness of breath, felt dizzy, very tired, and had chest pain, went to my dr where they did a bunch of tests that showed nothing wrong. It continued to get worse sending me to the er 3again times where they found nothing. On October 2011 it got worse so I went to a different er where they did a mri from the neck down and they told me they found a mass on my lungs and suggested I get a biopsy.  I got the biopsy which was very painful and caused many complications so after 7 days in the hospital my pulmonary dr sent me to a specialist in Chicago. That dr said I have a 6x6x5 cyst that is either on my lung or a pericardial cyst that I probably had since birth but they couldn't know where it is till they went in there surgically.  I had a Vats thoracotomy in Dec. 2011. They removed a pericardial cyst. I was in the hospital for 6 days then when I went home where my chest tube was didn't close so for a month I had to irrigate it and stick a qtip in the hole and clean it out. This was also very painful. After a month the hole closed finally. It has almost been a year since the surgery and I still have severe pain on my left side where my incision was and pain in the middle of my chest. Also a persistent cough too. I am wondering if this is normal and of I will always be in pain? My doctor said it is common with this kind of surgery

[peri2012]

I am a 45 year old female with a Pericardial Cysts. I am in the medical field, no less, working on a cardiac floor. I was diagnosed in 2007 with a 2cm cysts during a ct for another problem. I followed up with cardiac and was  told not to worry they would watch it. In 2009 I had chest pain, non specific, dyspnea and tachy with a rate of 130's ct showed cysts grew to 6cm, again told not to worry...but insisted that they aspirate it. I realize that it was a possiblity that it would return but I figured a couple of years later, but in fact. it returned after 3 months, How did I know? Well the chest pain, dsypnea and tachycardia all returned..thus I was symtomatic again. I was told that if it persisted that they would consider a VATS. I decided to "DEAL" with the symtoms and go about my now limited physical activities due to heart rate in the 100's even in a sitting position. In 2011 I had to have major surgery unrelated to the cysts and the surgeon was checking my radial pulse and asked me, and I quote, " Your cardiologists isn't worried about your heart rate being in the 140"s". Appartently It was a significant concern to the surgeon. While still in office Surgeon called Cardologists, and to his dismay, was told that the only thing he could recommend was another aspiration of said cysts before major surgery. Again considering other alternative of a VATS I was hopeful that the 2nd aspiration would be a success with iodine to seal the cysts temp...It is now 2012 and I just returned from E.R. symtomatic again with heart rate in 130's, chest pain, and dyspnea...I was told again to follow up with the Dr., find a specialist, and least of my favorites consider a VATS consult with my Cardio/Thoraic Dr. I don't know about all of you but I think that I will wait until they have to RAPID response me on my cardiac floor before I'll have a VATS. I think I will get more of a response on a emergency basis rather than a "Wait and See response I'm getting lately" . Thanks so much : )

[dbuell]

Hi, am also new to this condition and was being treated for pneumonia also. There's alot of chest pain with these things...sometimes feels like there something sitting on your chest.

[CEO2011]

News flash for the Doctors. Pericardial cyst are very painful.I went to the Dr.  thinking I had pneumonia and was told they found  a pericardial cyst after testing.
STOP trying to blame pain on anxiety.I had NO anxiety.I am a easy going level headed woman who works every day and wanted something for what I thought was pneumonia  so I had no idea I had this condition  .
Just love how Dr's try to make you think you are causing your own pain by being anxious.

[pro2675]

i have tried to post a questions.  Maybe this time it worked.  My cousin has two cyst one in the heart the other on the outside.  He is having alot of pain in his chest.  His doc has not told him anything much.  My question to all you is what do you all take for the chest pains if anything? Is there a diet he should be on?  He was in REALLy good shape when he found out.  Worked out 5 days a week no smoking or caffiene.  He has always been very athelitic (skater).  Now he can only excerise alittle it cause to much pain in the chest.  any adivce or experience would help.

Thanks pro2675

[Teeshi]

Hello,

Accidently, I discovered that I have a LARGE cyst on the right side of my heart...I believe its on the border and pushing on my lungs which is why I have this persistent cough.  Oh, by the way, the size of this little joker is 7.2 X 6.2 (not 100% about the 2nd number as I do not have the information in front of me).  But they are saying it has to go.  I see the specialist in one week. I have a question..should I contact the doctor if I am having back pains and unusal spotting?  This is soo new to me that I am afraid not to wonder about these unusal occurances. I will prob call nurse in the morning, but was wondering if I would get a faster response here.  Also, Ive always knew something wasnt right...I am 32 now, but when I was younger I used to complain about chest pains and shortness of breath (I used to run track).  I went to the doctor and they never discovered anything...well, at least not to my knowledge.  It had to always been there...I know it. It has just been growing. I do not have chest pains as often anymore, but every now and again, I will feel something in my chest. Someone, please respond...

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
Pericardial cysts are generally congenital (present since birth) and often asymptomatic. Their symptoms of pericardial cyst (atypical chest pain, dyspnea, and persistent cough) are usually due to compression of adjacent organs.  The chest pains you are having can also be due to anxiety as you know it is there and would feel comfortable once it is removed. Spontaneous hemorrhage into the cyst and rupture of cyst causing life threatening situations, have been reported. Other reported complications include inflammation and infection, right ventricular outflow obstruction, pulmonary stenosis, atrial fibrillation, and congestive heart failure.
However, it is very difficult to diagnose how complicated the cyst it. Thetreatment options are observation, per cutaneous drainage and resection. Resection of pericardial cysts is indicated due to large size, persistent symptoms, patient concern, malignant potential, and prevention of the life threatening emergencies. Hence it depends on cardiologist how long he wants to observe and when he wants to operate. Do discuss this with your doctor and choose the treatment option that best suits you.
Hope this helps. Take care!