Surgical trauma and pericardial fibrinolytic activity.

Fibrinolytic activator activity was identified in canine pericardium by fibrin slide and fibrin slide and fibrin plate techniques and shown to be sighnificantly decreased following trauma. Cotton sponge abrasion, heating, drying and use of electrocautery and DC electro-shock significantly decreased pericardial fibrolytic activity. Operative decreases in pericardial fibrinolytic activator activity may be significant in the etiology of postoperative pericardial adhesions and constrictive pericardial syndromes.