An operative case of chronic constrictive pericarditis with silicosis and lumbar caries

We reported a case of chronic constrictive pericarditis complicated with silicosis and lumbar caries, who was improved by the operation. The patient was a 65 year old man whose past occupation was a mason. He was admitted to our hospital with chronic heart failure on March, 1986. Atypical silicosis was diagnosed from the occupational history and the histopathological silicotic changes in mediastinal lymph nodes and fibrosis of alveolar wall. The diagnosis of chronic constrictive pericarditis was made from chest roentgenogram and intracardiac catheterization. The symptoms of chronic constrictive pericarditis was improved by the pericardial resection. The exact pathogenesis of the chronic constrictive pericarditis could not be identified from the histology of pericardial tissue, but tuberculosis was suspected because of the past history of tuberculous pleurisy and the recurrence of lumbar caries.