Unusual presentation of idiophatic chronic constrictive pericarditis.

A 55-year-old male patient presented in our service with progressive dyspnea and ascitis beginning 1 year and 8 months previously. He weighed 160 kg (normal weight 95 kg), with ascitis and orthopnea. On admission he presented normal echocardiograms.

Contrast echocardiography in the diagnosis of intrapulmonary vascular dilations in patients eligible for liver transplantation.

Objective: To determine the importance of contrast echocardiography in the diagnosis of intrapulmonary vascular dilations (PVD) in patients with severe hepatic diseases, eligible for transplantation.

Methods: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) with second harmonic imaging was performed in 76 patients, among them 32 patients were consecutively undergone to a transesophageal study (ETE). Echocardiographic contrast was obtained from microbubbles derived from the injection of agitated saline solution, in venous peripheral access.

Contrast echocardiography in the diagnosis of intrapulmonary vascular dilations in candidates for liver transplantation.

Objective: To determine the importance of contrast echocardiography in the diagnosis of intrapulmonary vascular dilations in patients with severe liver disease, who are candidates for liver transplantation.

Methods: The study comprised 76 patients with chronic liver disease and no evidence of intrinsic pulmonary disease, heart failure, or congenital heart disease with intracardiac communications, who underwent transthoracic echocardiography with second harmonic imaging. Thirty-two of them underwent consecutive transesophageal study.