Eleven years' experience with pericardial-peritoneal window in the management of malignant and benign pericardial effusions.

BACKGROUND: Before 1983 we routinely used subxiphoid drainage for the management of pericardial effusions. Pericardial-pleural window through a left anterior thoracotomy was used in selected patients. Due to frustration over the rate of recurrent pericardial effusions with subxiphoid drainage alone and concern over the higher morbidity with thoracotomy, the creation of a 3-cm pericardial-peritoneal window in the fused portion of the pericardium and diaphragm overlying the left lobe of the liver was added to subxiphoid drainage in 1983.

METHODS: This study is a retrospective chart review of the 33 patients undergoing pericardial-peritoneal window from 1983 through 1993. Eighteen patients had malignancies, mainly lung and breast, and 15 had benign pericardial effusions.

RESULTS: The procedure was well tolerated, with a 30-day mortality of 9%; however, no deaths were directly related to the pericardial effusion or the procedure. No patient developed peritoneal carcinomatosis or diaphragmatic hernia. One patient developed recurrent pericardial effusion during follow-up, and two required pericardiectomy for constrictive disease. Among those with malignancies, patients with breast cancer had the longest survival after pericardial-peritoneal window.

CONCLUSIONS: Pericardial-peritoneal window is a simple, safe, and effective procedure and applicable to most patients with malignant and noninfectious benign pericardial effusion, including those with tamponade.