The incidence and significance of early pericardial effusion after open heart surgery

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Abstract
The presence and severity of postoperative pericardial effusions werestudied echocardiographically in 114 consecutive patients (70 males, 44females; mean age 56 +/- 10 years). An effusion was present in 35 patientsat 3-5 days. An effusion was less common when a drainage tube was insertedfor 24-36 h in the posterior as well as the anterior mediastinum than whenonly an anterior drain was used. Patients with effusions differed fromthose without in having more supraventricular arrhythmias, more woundinfections, smaller total blood drainage and longer postoperative hospitalstay. Three patients with posterior pericardial effusions developed cardiactamponade 5-18 days postoperatively. The data show that pericardialeffusions are associated with postoperative complications and suggest thateffusion formation can be reduced by using posterior as well as anteriorchest drains.

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