Closure of pericardium?

[Hardcastle, Tim, Dr <tch at sun.ac.za>]

Abdullah

Always close the pericardium over one of the two mediastinal drains OR leave it partially open. There is ALWAYS a small risk of a delayed pericardial effusion, which should be drainable if the above is followed. Mostly these are serous effusions, if the heart was correctly repaired initially.

Tim
Dr T C Hardcastle
M.B.,Ch.B.(Stell); M.Med(Chir); FCS(SA)
Senior Surgeon / Senior Lecturer: Surgery (Trauma and ICU)
ATLS  instructor and DSTC Cape Town Course Director
Intern program Coordinator: Surgery
M.Med (Emergency Medicine) Executive Committee member
Clinical Head (Director): Diana Princess of Wales Trauma Unit
Division of Surgery (General) Room 4064
Department of Surgical Sciences
Tygerberg Hospital / University of Stellenbosch
PO Box 19063
Tygerberg 7505
Western Cape
South Africa
e-mail: tch at sun.ac.za
Cell: +27824681615
Office: +27219389281 or 4911 pager 0302



-----Original Message-----
From: trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org
[mailto:trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org]On Behalf Of Abdullah Harthy
Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 2:54 AM
To: trauma-list at trauma.org
Subject: Closure of pericardium?


I'd like to ask the group, if they usually close the
pericardium after a repair of a cardiac injury? And if
any, have noted an increase in acute or delayed
temponade if the pericardium was closed?

A. Al- Harthy


      Be smarter than spam. See how smart SpamGuard is at giving junk email the boot with the All-new Yahoo! Mail at http://mrd.mail.yahoo.com/try_beta?.intl=ca

--
trauma-list : TRAUMA.ORG
To change your settings or unsubscribe visit:
http://www.trauma.org/index.php?/community/