Pericardial window
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| Pericardial window | |
|---|---|
| Intervention | |
| ICD-9-CM | 37.12 |
A pericardial window is a cardiac surgical procedure to create a fistula - or "window" - from the pericardial space to the pleural cavity.[1] The purpose of the window is to allow a pericardial effusion (usually malignant) to drain from the space surrounding the heart into the chest cavity - where the fluid is not as dangerous; an untreated pericardial effusion can lead to cardiac tamponade and death.
The window is usually performed by a cardiac surgeon who makes an incision, commonly sub-xiphoid, and cuts a small hole in the pericardium which is the membrane that surrounds the heart.
References
- ↑ Stuart J. Hutchison (10 December 2008). Pericardial diseases: clinical diagnostic imaging atlas. Elsevier Health Sciences. pp. 93–. ISBN 978-1-4160-5274-6. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
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