The echocardiogram after pericardiectomy.

Many factors may affect the interventricular septal motion. This study measures the effect of pericardiectomy on septal motion in 9 patients who were evaluated 1 week to 58 months after pericardiectomy. Echocardiography was performed with the patient in recumbent position with the special care to record motion of the muscular septum and not that of the aorta. No patient had left bundle branch block, angina, myocardial infarction, pericardial effusion or right ventricular volume overload. Septal motion was paradoxical in 7, normal in 1 and could not be evaluated 1 patient. The mean value of the right ventricular internal dimension was normal. Two of 9 patients had technically satisfactory echocardiograms preoperatively. Septal motion was normal in both, and both developed paradoxical septal motion postoperatively. We conclude that paradoxical septal motion pericardiectomy, but in contrast with other causes of this finding right ventricular internal dimension remains normal.