Constrictive pericarditis following cardiac surgery.

Five patients with constriction secondary to pericarditis or membrane formation following cardiac surgical procedures are reported. In 4 of the 5 patients, a postpericardiotomy syndrome developed after the original procedure. Constriction occurred from ten weeks to almost 6 years after the cardiac operation. Clinicians should watch carefully for the delayed onset of constriction in patients with a postpericardiotomy syndrome after cardiac operation.