Please help me interpret these cardiac tests

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Submitted by Dr T on July 1, 2014 – 9:50am

Question: 
Fibrous pericardium with granulation tissue with fibrinous exudate mild fibroblasia. There are mononuclear cell infiltrates with rare leukocytes and eosinophils
What is organizing fibrinous pericarditis?
What are the short term and long term implications?
Thank you

Hi Amy,

These results mean you have had a pericardial effusion that was drained. Examination of the fluid only shows normal inflammatory cells, meaning you may well have had a viral pericarditis and this is your body’s response. Prior to this you probably hace had a variety of symptoms that included chest pains, shortness of breath, fever, and decreased exercise tolerance.

(Image from: Causes of Pericarditis)

Most patients will continue to recover and no further treatment  is necessary, other than analgesics or anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain and antibiotics if there was evidence of a bacterial infection (not shown in your case).

However, occasionally this may cause a chronic constrictive pericarditis, impairing your heart function with as result ongoing chest pains, dyspnea and other symptoms of heart failure, which may require a pericardiectomy with removal of the diseased heart sack.

Hope this helps,

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