Pericardial complications of cardiac surgery: emphasis on the diagnostic role of echocardiography.

Pericardial effusions are common following cardiac surgery; uncommonly they are large in size and may cause tamponade, either in the early or late postoperative period. Such effusions causing tamponade may be circumcardiac, but are frequently loculated, in which case one or more cardiac chambers is selectively compressed. Fortunately, echocardiography is capable of imaging not only the presence, location, and size of the pericardial effusion, but also indicating the presence of tamponade. Constrictive pericarditis resulting from cardiac surgery is being recognized with increasing frequency and has been associated with various echocardiographic abnormalities. This review also discusses certain other pericardial complications of cardiac surgery including supraventricular arrhythmias, chylopericardium, and posttransplant problems.