We describe a case of primary chylopericardium following acute Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis in a 33-year-old female heroin addict. The patient underwent surgical ligation of the thoracic duct after a low-fat diet failed to control the fluid accumulation. Three months postoperatively, the patient was in a good general condition and no pericardial effusion was observed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
MathewJAddaiTAnandAMonobelAMaheshwariPFreelsS. Clinical features, site of involvement, bacteriological findings, and outcome of infective endocarditisin intravenous drug users. Arch Inter Med1995; 155: 1641–8.
2.
HechtSRBergerM. Right-sided endocarditis in intravenous drug users. Prognostic features in 102 patients. Ann Intern Med1992; 117: 560–6.
3.
GrovesLKEfflerDB. Primary chylopericardium. N Engl J Med1954; 250: 520–3.
4.
YanokopoulosNAAkbarianMSturkeyGWAbelmannWH. Isolated chylopericardium: diagnosis, hemodynamic studies and surgical treatment. Am J Cardiol1967; 19: 440–6.
5.
AkamatsuHAmanoJSakamotoTSuzukiA. Primary chylopericardium. Ann Thorac Surg1994; 58: 262–6.
6.
ChanBBKMurphyMCRodgersBM. Management of chylopericardium. J Pediatr Surg1990; 25: 1185–9.
