Description
This specimen shows both ventricles cut just below the mid point. The ventricular wall is of normal
thickness and the muscle appears normal. The coronary arteries show no obvious atheroma. The
pericardium is markedly thickened by a pale yellow shaggy exudate. Histologically the exudate
showed evidence of organisation; it had probably been present for several weeks. No organisms
were identified in histologic sections and there was no growth from the swab taken from the
pericardial surface.
History
This man had been vaguely unwell for some time and died unexpectedly at the age of 52.
At autopsy there was approximately 800 ml of thin brown fluid in the pericardial sac. The heart
was normal in size; the liver showed a gross fatty infiltration with early cirrhosis. The kidneys
were normal.