Abstract

CORTESAO, Nuno et al. Pericardioperitoneal shunt in the treatment of pericardial effusions in neoplasic patients. Rev Port Pneumol [online]. 2007, vol.13, n.1, pp.71-81. ISSN 0873-2159.

Neoplasia-related pericardial effusions are a frequent finding and pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Although they appear in the context of an underlying neoplastic disease, 50% of these effusions have a benign etiology; they are indirectly caused by the tumor. The remaining cases (neoplastic pericardial effusions - NPE) derive from extension of tumoral disease to the epi and/or pericardium and have, therefore, a worst prognosis. Despite several treatment options, the lack of apropriate guidelines difficults the evaluation of their efficacy and safety. Pericardioperitoneal shunt (PPS) is a surgical pericardial drainage method, which has demonstrated its use-fulness in the management of NPE. At the CHC, this procedure is performed under videoassisted toracoscopic guidance (VATS). During the last 8 years, 18 patients have been submitted to this therapeutic option, which proved to be safe, efficacious and with low morbimortality rates.

Keywords : Pericardial effusion; neoplasia; pericardioperitoneal shunt; pericardial drainage.

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