Pericardial window

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

A pericardial window is a cardiac surgical procedure to create a fistula - or "window" - from the pericardial space to the peritoneal cavity. The purpose of the window is to allow a pericardial effusion (usually malignant) to drain from the space surrounding the heart into the abdomen - where the fluid is not as dangerous; an untreated pericardial effusion can lead to cardiac tamponade and death.

The window is usually performed by a cardiac surgeon who makes an incision, commonly sub-xiphoid, and cuts a small hole in the pericardium