Pericarditis; constrictive

Alternative names:

constrictive pericarditis

Definition:

A disorder caused by inflammation of the pericardium (the sac-like covering of the heart) with subsequent thickening, scarring, and contracture of the pericardium.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Constrictive pericarditis is a chronic form of pericarditis. It may result from no apparent cause, or it may be the result of chronic inflammation caused by tuberculosis, radiation therapy to the chest, cardiac surgery, or an infection.

The inflamed pericardium causes pain when it rubs against the heart. Because the pericardium becomes thickened and scarred, it becomes less elastic. This prevents the pericardium from stretching and results in reduced filling of the chambers of the heart. This reduces cardiac output (the amount of blood pumped by the heart) and causes blood to back up behind the heart, resulting in symptoms of right-sided heart failure.

Constrictive pericarditis is relatively uncommon in children.