Pericardioscopy in Differential Diagnostics and Treatment of Pericardial Effusions

The aim of the investigation is to study the efficiency of pericardioscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of various forms of pericardial effusion.

Materials and Metgods. There have been performed 38 pericardioscopies in 37 patients. The procedure has been carried out using a rigid thoracoscope, 10 mm in diameter, with 30°-optics. The quality of images of various pericardial areas has been studied in pranspleural and extrapleural pericardioscopy. And there has been assessed clinical efficiency of pericardioscopy.

Results. Pericardioscopy allowed to perform direct imaging of pericardium and target biopsy of changed tissue due to which the diagnostic value of surgery increased from 48.6 to 67.6% (p=0.042). Pericardioscopy efficiency for video-assisted sanation of the pericardium in suppurative pericardites was stated. In the process of the study there were found out the advantages and disadvantages of prans- and extrapleural videopericardioscopy. There were no fatal cases. In one case the surgery was complicated by hemothorax.

Conclusion. High diagnostic value, low percentage, low complication rate and the absence of lethality when using pericardioscopy allows to recommend the technique for wide use in clinical practice.

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Aivazyan S.А., Medvedev А.P., Sidorov М.А., Nemirova S.V., Rybinsky А.D., Kosonogov A.Ya. Pericardioscopy in Differential Diagnostics and Treatment of Pericardial Effusions. Sovremennye tehnologii v medicine 2011; (4): 62