Best Pericardiectomy Clinics in Italy

Indications for Pericardiectomy

If a person has chronic constrictive pericarditis, he/she usually requires pericardiectomy to get the condition treated. Chronic pericarditis can cause inflammation and thickening of the heart sac hence leading to improper heart functioning. This condition is often caused due to many reasons like being subject to radiation therapy, heart sac inflammation, thyroid problems, and cancer cells growth. Patients usually feel high pressure on their heart if they are suffering through this problem.

How to prepare for Pericardiectomy?

Before your pericardiectomy, you will have a detailed consultation with your specialist from Italy. You will be guided completely about the procedure and asked to stop smoking and taking unrequired medicines. With that, you will be asked to stop eating and drinking 10-12 hours before surgery and ensure to arrange all the necessities at home.

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Tests before Pericardiectomy in Italy

Before your pericardiectomy, you will meet with the doctor who will perform your surgery to discuss your medical history, the medications you are taking, and any questions you may have about your pericardiectomy. With that, some tests maybe required, these include:

• Chest X-ray
• EKG to check heart rhythm
• Blood tests to assess general health
• Echocardiogram to look at the anatomy of the heart and the pattern of blood flow through the heart
• For more information to assess the pressure within the heart, a CT scan or MRI scan may be required.

How is Pericardiectomy done in Italy?

• The first step of the treatment, which lasts about two to three hours, is for the surgeon to separate the skin over the breastbone by making an incision there. This exposes the pericardium.
• During the surgery the surgeon will grasp the pericardium, cut the top of this fibrous covering of the heart, drop it into the specimen bag and recover the heart.
• The breastbone is then wired back together and the incision is closed completing the procedure.
• Total pericardiectomy, in which the entire sac membrane is removed when the pericardium between the two phrenic nerves is excised, is performed in situations where subtotal pericardiectomy is not feasible.

What happens after Pericardiectomy?

You will have to stay at the hospital for 5-7 days after the surgery and then you will be discharged. During your hospital stay, you will be under the observation of experienced staff. You can resume your activities once you are home but complete recovery can take around 2 months or even more. However, you have to make sure to avoid strenuous activities, eat light food, and not lift heavy objects. After a month or later you will be asked to visit your surgeon and go through an electrocardiogram test to evaluate the condition of your heart.

Results of Pericardiectomy: Long-Term outlook

The results in patients suffering from chronic constrictive pericarditis are usually positive and help in relieving the symptoms and complications. The long-term outlook of the surgery is found to be dependent on the cause of the pericarditis. The survival rate is usually higher among people who have unknown cause of the problem, have pericarditis due to radiotherapy, or do not have previous medical history.

Risks of pericardiectomy

Just like any other surgery, it can lead to certain complications like;

• Infection.
• Bleeding.
• Death.
• Cardiac syndrome.
• Blood clotting.

Benefits of visiting Italy for a Pericardiectomy

There are number of benefits of visiting Italy for  Pericardiectomy including;

• Availability of best doctors in Italy for Pericardiectomy like:
  •  Dr. Maurizio Tespili, who is director of hemodynamics laboratory and performs thousands of surgeries every year
  • Dr. Giuseppe Speziale serves at a large number of hospitals in Italy because of his successful interventions
• Provision of a number of facilities like translators, accommodation, visa assistance, and hotel accommodation for families.
• Use of modern techniques like laparoscopic Pericardiectomy.
• Some of the best Clinics in Italy for Pericardiectomy are;
  • Maria Cecelia Hospital is well recognized for its successful heart surgeries.
  • Policlinico San Donato: With 53 years of excellence and treating more than 295,000 patients yearly.
  • Ospedale San Raffaele, the hospital having an experienced team of cardiac surgeons.