Thoracoscopic Approach to Pericardial Diseases

Pericardial diseases consist of acute and chronic serious problems. The presentation of these conditions clinic ally varies from asymptomatic to life-threating problem. They include benign and malignant pericardial effusions, tamponade, constrictive pericardial disease, and pericardial cysts. Management of these conditions frequently requires agressive therapy, often in the form of surgical intervention. The goals of surgical therapy are to relieve the effusion, make a definitive diagnosis, and prevent recurrence of the effusion or development of constrictive pericarditis, with the lowest morbidity and mortality. The surgical options include a subxiphoid resection, median sternotomy, anterolateral tho racotomy, or a throcoscopic approach. Thoracoscopy is not indicated for use in pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis. Nevertheless, thoracoscopic resection of symptomatic pericardial cysts offers a viable alternative to traditional open thoracotomies. The recent introduction of thoracoscopic techniques for surgery of the pericardium offers a new and potentially improved method to treat some these problems. In this article, the overview of the current therapy of pericardial diseases and the role of thorcoscopy in their management, have been reviewed a discussion.