ETIOLOGICAL SURVEY IN 112 PATIENTS WITH PERICARDIAL DISEASE: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Abstract

This work is a retrospective study of112 patients who had undergone pericardiectomy in Imam-Khomeini Hospital, in 1983-1994. The patients were categorized into groups /j and B. There were 48 patients in group A whose etiology wa.'i" known before operation, such as uremia, infeaion, and malignancy. Group 13 consisted of64 patients. The cause ofpericardial disease could not be ascertained in group B and therefore, constrictive pericarditis prompted us 10 perform pericardiectomy. Pathologic findings of pericarditis were attributed to tuberculosis only in6 (9.4%) of the cases in group B. .