RT Book, Section A1 Skubas, Nikolaos J. A1 Fontes, Manuel L. A2 Mathew, Joseph P. A2 Swaminathan, Madhav A2 Ayoub, Chakib M. SR Print(0) ID 6918791 T1 Chapter 15. Pericardial Diseases T2 Clinical Manual and Review of Transesophageal Echocardiography, 2e YR 2010 FD 2010 PB The McGraw-Hill Companies PP New York, NY SN 978-0-07-163476-2 LK accessanesthesiology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=6918791 RD 2024/03/29 AB Pericardial diseases constitute pathologic processes that involve the pericardium, the pericardial sac and its contents, and the thoracic structures surrounding the heart. Cardiovascular perturbations associated with pericardial disease range from the asymptomatic electrocardiographic findings in uremic pericarditis to catastrophic circulatory collapse observed in the setting of acute hemorrhagic pericardial tamponade. The clinical features of pericardial diseases may resemble right-side failure, notably right ventricular (RV) failure and tricuspid insufficiency, but can also present as left-side failure manifesting as shortness of breath, reduced exercise tolerance, and multiorgan hypoperfusion. However, clinical management of pericardial pathology may differ significantly from that of ventricular dysfunction or valvular heart disease. As a consequence, timely diagnosis and initiation of appropriate medical or surgical therapy is imperative. This chapter deals specifically with the clinical utility of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the evaluation, diagnosis, and characterization of pericardial disease including constrictive pericarditis and cardiac tamponade.