Pericardiocentesis and Intrapericardial Sclerosis: Effective Therapy for Malignant Pericardial Effusions

Background. Pericardial effusions remain a formidable problem in patients with an advanced malignancy. We reviewed our experience with pericardiocentesis and intrapericardial sclerotherapy versus open surgical drainage as the treatment for these effusions. Methods. A retrospective review was performed of one surgeon’s experience (M.E.B.) with the surgical treatment of malignant pericardial effusions at a tertiary-care cancer center. Results. Sixty patients underwent 72 procedures during 8 years. Thirty-seven (51%) pericardiocenteses and 35 (49%) open procedures were performed in patients with effusions. There was no significant difference in the complication rates seen between those effusions drained via pericardiocentesis (n = 5; 13%) and those drained in an open surgical procedure (n = 5; 14%). Similar results were seen with respect to the development of a recurrent effusion. There were no procedure-related deaths. The median survival for all patients was 97 days. Patients with breast cancer as their primary malignancy survived significantly longer after drainage than did all others (p = 0.01). The type of procedure did not influence survival. Costs of surgical drainage exceed those of pericardiocentesis by nearly fortyfold. Conclusions. Pericardiocentesis with intrapericardial sclerotherapy is as effective as open surgical drainage for the management of malignant pericardial effusions.