Surgical treatment of constrictive pericarditis in a patient with total obliteration of pericardial cavity

Constrictive pericarditis is an uncommon disease significantly impairing the quality of life. This pathology is morphologically characterized by fibrosis and thickening of pericardium, and clinically presented by symptoms of severe, often decompensated, heart failure. Timely diagnostics and adequate surgical tactics are essential in the treatment of this pathology. The authors reviewed current concepts of this disease and describe successful surgical correction.