Constrictive pericarditis in a mare: attempted treatment by partial pericardiectomy

Chronic constrictive pericarditis was diagnosed in a 6-year-old Thoroughbred mare based on the clinical findings of right congestive heart failure, hyperechoic pericardium without pericardial effusion, and a dip-and-plateau shape of the right ventricular pressure curve with equilibration of the diastolic pressures in all cardiac chambers. Treatment was attempted by partial pericardiectomy using a right lateral thoracotomy approach. Because of severe epicardial involvement recurrence of the constrictive pathology was noted 6 weeks after the surgical procedure. However, in selected cases in which the disease process is limited to the pericardium, partial pericardiectomy may offer a mode of therapy in horses suffering from constrictive pericarditis.