Purulent Pericarditis: Report of a Case with Postoperative Chronic Pericardial Effusion

Abstract

Nowadays, purulent pericarditis (PP) has become a rare disease with the increased use of antibiotics in clinical practices. The outcome of PP is poor due to severe infection and haemodynamic failure by the inhibition of the ventricle repletion, and no consensus exists on the treatment. We describe a case of PP with postoperative chronic pericardial effusion changing to the abscess. Following literature, the patient was treated with drainage and intrapericardial injection of urokinase. Inflammation and haemodynamic indexes with the transthoracic echocardiography were improved. We report a valuable case with literature discussion.