# Role of hepatic and portal venous Doppler in constrictive pericarditis: insights from a case series

## TL;DR

This paper explores how measuring blood flow in the liver and portal veins can help manage heart patients with constrictive pericarditis.

## Contribution

The study introduces the use of hepatic and portal venous Doppler as a complementary tool in the perioperative assessment of constrictive pericarditis.

## Key findings

- Hepatic and portal venous Doppler assessment provided additional hemodynamic insights in constrictive pericarditis patients.
- These Doppler findings were integrated into perioperative management strategies.
- The study suggests potential diagnostic and prognostic value of these Doppler parameters.

## Abstract

Constrictive pericarditis is characterized by diffuse thickening, fibrosis, and calcification of the pericardium, leading to diastolic dysfunction and heart failure. Echocardiographic assessment typically focuses on trans-mitral and trans-tricuspid inflows as well as venous flows in the superior vena cava, pulmonary veins, and hepatic veins. The diagnostic and perioperative utility of hepatic and portal venous Doppler assessment in constrictive pericarditis, however, remains insufficiently explored.

We present a case series of patients with constrictive pericarditis in whom portal and hepatic venous Doppler interrogation was performed alongside conventional echocardiographic evaluation. The Doppler findings were integrated into the perioperative management strategy, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of venous return dynamics in these patients.

Our experience highlights the potential role of portal and hepatic venous Doppler assessment in the perioperative evaluation of constrictive pericarditis. These parameters may provide incremental value by complementing standard echocardiographic indices, thereby offering additional haemodynamic insights and facilitate tailored perioperative management. Further studies are warranted to validate their diagnostic and prognostic significance in this context.