[Idiopathic chylopericardium. Apropos of a new case. Review of the literature]

Abstract

The authors report a new case of primary chylopericardium in an asymptomatic 26 year old male. In view of the negativity of the complementary etiological investigations a surgical subxiphoid window was performed and this confirmed the diagnosis. After failure of isolated evacuatory drainage, the patient was cured by pericardectomy. The anatomo-clinical, biochemical and diagnostic features of this condition are described based on a review of the other cases of primary chylopericardium reported in the literature. Surgical pericardectomy seems to be the only effective long term treatment.