Constrictive pericarditis following cardiac surgery; a complication that does exist.

Constrictive pericarditis as a complication of cardiac surgery does exist. Although the problem is somewhat uncommon, it should be suspected in patients following cardiac surgery who present with deteriorating cardiac function. The clinical spectrum of the disease is wide and may present as true rigid shell constriction or a more subtle form of elastic sero-effusive construction. It is imperative for the physician to consider this entity in the differential of complications following cardiac surgery.