Q. What do you understand by Pericardium?
Pericardium is the covering sac of the heart. The pericardium prevents acute cardiac chamber dilatation. Acute pericarditis, pericardial effusion and constrictive pericarditis are the major diseases of the pericardium. The acute pericarditis can be diagnosed by the pericardial friction rub and classical ECG changes. It is important to differentiate acute pericarditis from acute myocardial infarction. For the dianosis of PE, transthoracic 2DED is the investigation of choice. Large PE can cause cardiac tamponade which if left untreated leads to fatal outcome.
Percutaneous pericardiocentesis is life saving in cardiac tamponade. Constrictive pericarditis is the sequelae of chronic fibrosis of pericardium. Patients present with features of severe systemic venous congestion. Pericardiectomy can relieve the constriction in more than 80 per cent of patients of constrictive pericarditis. In every case of pericardial disease if etiology is treatable, it should be treated.