Biventricular Failure due to Stress Cardiomyopathy after Pericardiectomy for Constrictive Pericarditis
Figure 2
Postpericardiectomy transthoracic echocardiograms illustrating stress cardiomyopathy and recovery. The end diastolic and end systolic ((a) and (b), resp.) left ventricle in apical 2-chamber views and the end diastolic and end systolic ((c) and (d), resp.) right ventricle in apical 4-chamber views illustrating the akinetic apical and midregional wall motion abnormalities and hyperdynamic contractile base of both ventricles, consistent with stress cardiomyopathy, on postoperative day 1. Postdischarge echocardiography 7 weeks later shows normalized wall motion and function of the left ((e) and (f)) and right ventricles ((g) and (h)) in end diastole and end systole, respectively. The endocardial border is outlined in blue dashed line. The apex of the left and right ventricles is oriented to the top of each panel as marked.
