Pericardial calcification following blunt trauma

Abstract

A 50-year-male presented with persistent, progressive shortness of breath for last 1 year along with swelling of abdomen for last 1 month. Physical examination revealed increased jugular venous pressure (14 cm of water), ascites along with presence of Kussmaul sign and pericardial knock. Clinically, a diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis (CP) was made. He denied any past history of tuberculosis or any other infective etiology. Past medical history revealed history of trauma in past childhood. Chest X-ray revealed a predominant circumferential calcification along the left border of the heart [Figure 1]. Doppler echocardiography showed evidence of CP with thick calcified pericardium. End diastolic pressure of all four chambers was also found to be equal. A diagnosis of CP due to trauma was made. Pericardial calcification is usually preceded by pericarditis or trauma. The most common causes of pericardial calcification are chronic idiopathic pericarditis, post-cardiac surgery, mediastinal irradiation, and tuberculous pericarditis. [1] Both blunt