Effusive--constrictive epicarditis that developed more than 5 years after ventricular septal defect closure: two cases relieved by epicardiectomy.

We describe two children diagnosed with effusive-constrictive epicarditis that developed more than 5 years after ventricular septal defect (VSD) closure. Constrictive epicarditis is extremely rare in children and there are few reports of infants with effusive-constrictive epicarditis associated with congenital heart disease surgery. This is the first pediatric case report of effusive-constrictive epicarditis occurring after VSD closure that was relieved by epicardiectomy.