Pre-op pericardial effusion... anyone?

[McCbon]

Hi, all. My annual echos since 2010 have shown a circumferential, mild pericardial effusion. It has persisted unchanged and no one has offered an explanation - just to continue monitoring. I have boderline severe stenotic BAV -mostly asymptomatic. Has anyone else had an effusion before their AVR? Any feedback would be welcome. I did submit a question to Dr. Svennson's webchat on Cleveland Clinic's website, and all he said is that it should be checked asap. Which it will be, but no one else has expressed any concern whatsoever.

Be well, Bonny

 

[epstns]

I'm sometimes just a bit skeptical of echo findings. If you've looked at the "pictures" they aren't very clearly detailed. Can they be sure it is effusion, or could it be some other sort of artifact that looks that way?

 

[McCbon]

Steve: Thanks for response. I agree about the vagaries of echo. But this was 3 different echos, one at Stanford, one at Mayo and one done here locally in Podunk OR. All 3 reported it in the narrative. Mayo even asked for a 3 month f/u echo (the second one I had locally, last Sept.) to ensure it had not changed. It didn't, still there and still mild, but persistent and inexplicable. Sooooooo.... just wondering if anyone else ever had one, or heard of it, or knows of an article or something. I have looked for a reference. Pts sometimes get them post-op (and I also wonder if I am more at risk for exacerbation post-op due to its pre-existence) but have no info regarding pre-op.
Be well, Bonny

 

[river-wear]

I haven't heard of it before surgery (but I'm not a medical person), however there appear to be a lot of potential causes:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pericardial-effusion/basics/causes/con-20034161

Have you asked your cardiologist if he/she has an idea of the cause?

 

[ManiSham]

I had pericardial effusion post surgery and they planned to take it out through a small opening but it disappeared after I took oral medicine for 4 days, hope your doctors have started you on meds.

 

[McCbon]

Michele:
Thanks for the link. So far the cardios said they didn't know why I had it, they just said they would monitor it.
There is one remote possibility I intend to f/u at CC. That is hypothyroid as a cause of pericardial effusion.
I will be asking my new cardio next week at my annual check up. Last year my TSH was slightly elevated, so if that is the cause it is an easy fix and much less worrisome than a cardiac connection. We shall see. Thanks again, Bonny