Abstract

FLORIAN, María C; FRANCO, Sergio; SANTACRUZ, David  and  MONTOYA, Kevin F. Tuberculous pericarditis: a case report and review of the literature. Rev. Colomb. Cardiol. [online]. 2011, vol.18, n.5, pp.282-287. ISSN 0120-5633.

Constrictive pericarditis is a clinical syndrome caused by the cardiac compression of a thickened or rigid pericardium. Tuberculosis is a rare cause of constrictive pericarditis in developed countries. However, this is an important condition to consider in developing countries and in patients with HVI infection. Tuberculous pericarditis is a form of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis that may lead to death. The difficulty in its diagnosis and the serious consequences of this non-treated infection make this condition an important health problem both in industrialized and developing countries. Diagnostic aids such as echography are essential in the diagnosis, and in front of the suspicion of tuberculous infection of the pericardium, the performance of pericardial fluid or pericardial tissue studies is indicated. Anti TB treatment is carried out for six months and pericardiectomy is considered in patients with calcified constrictive pericarditis or in those in whom the constriction worsens after six to eight weeks of treatment.

Keywords : constrictive pericarditis; tuberculous pericarditis; extra-pulmonary tuberculosis; pericardiectomy.

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