An analysis of 35 cases of constrictive pericarditis treated surgically in this department of Seoul National University Hospital between the years 1958 and 1974 has been presented.
1. Of the 35 patients with constrictive pericarditis, 29 were males and 6 were females. Their ages averaged 23.8 years.
2. All patients who had pericardiectomy showed excellent postoperative results, and no operative mortality was noted in this group of patients but 3 hospital death(9.1%) occured.
3. Besides shortening of circulation time elevated venous pressure was restored to normal range after pericardiectomy from a preoperative average 25.8cm H_(2)O to a postoperative average 14.8cm H_(2)O.
4. Electrocardiographic changes consisted chiefly of low voltage complexes, P-wave and T-wave changes and characterized by vertical or semivertical heart position.
The ECG was returned to normal or near normal after pericardiectomy.
5. There were seven postoperative complications in this series.
6. In ten cases (32.3%), the pathology revealed evidence of tuberculosis in the pericardium or the myocardium, and others were described as chronic, proliferative, fibrous pericarditis or hyalinization of the pericardium.
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