Pericardial Diseases Center

Overview

Cleveland Clinic Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pericardial Diseases is a multidisciplinary specialty treatment group dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of pericardial diseases—whether it is acute (develops suddenly), chronic (persistent) or recurrent (comes back). Pericardial disease includes a group of conditions that affect the pericardium, the double layered sac that surrounds the heart.

The Pericardial Center specializes in the treatment of patients with conditions affecting the pericardium. Click on the links below to learn more about physicians at the Cleveland Clinic who treat patients with pericardial disease.

• Cardiovascular Medicine - Imaging
• Cardiovascular Medicine - Heart Failure
• Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Cardio-Oncology Center

What We Treat

The Pericardial Disease Team brings together clinicians that specialize in pericardial diseases. The team includes physicians and nurses from Cardiovascular Medicine, Rheumatology, Infectious Disease, Oncology, Radiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery with expertise in diagnostic testing, medical management and surgical procedures for patients with:

• All types of pericarditis
• Pericardial effusion
• Pericardial cyst
• Pericardial tamponade
• Pericardial constriction
• Pericardial abscess
• Pericardial tumors

Treatments & Procedures:

• Pericardiectomy

Why choose Cleveland Clinic for your care?

Our outcomes speak for themselves. Please review our facts and figures and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Our Team

The Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Pericardial Diseases comprises a team of specialists from the Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute as well as other specialties, such as rheumatology and immunology, infectious disease and more.

Our Medical Team

Directors, The Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Pericardial Diseases

• Allan Klein, MD
• Christine Jellis MD, PhD
• Marijan Koprivanac, MD
• Deborah Kwon, MD
• Tom Kai Ming Wang, MBChB

Cardiovascular Medicine and Imaging

Imaging specialists use the latest imaging techniques, such as tissue Doppler imaging, color M-Mode Doppler, transesophageal echocardiography, MR and CT help to distinguish the specific type of pericarditis, detect complications of pericarditis, and determine the best treatment. This group of physicians will evaluate you and begin to develop your plan of care. They are all specialized to perform echo-guided pericardiocentesis.

• Allan Klein, MD
• Patrick Collier, MD, PhD
• Milind Desai, MD
• Brian Griffin, MD
• Richard Grimm, DO
• Christine Jellis MD, PhD
• Deborah Kwon, MD
• Saberio Vega LoPresti, MD
• Zoran Popovic, MD
• Jay Ramchand, MD, PhD
• Leonardo Rodriguez, MD
• Maran Thamilarasan, MD
• Tom Kai Ming Wang, MBChB
• Bo Xu, MD

Cardiovascular Medicine, Section of Imaging, Specialized Testing

When MRI or CT is required to confirm a diagnosis, this group of physicians help to identify the best test to use and determine the results.

• Milind Desai, MD
• Christine Jellis MD, PhD
• Deborah Kwon, MD
• Paul Schoenhagen, MD

Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart Failure

When pericardial conditions are caused by poor heart function, or cause heart failure, these specialists provide treatment strategies to improve heart muscle function and prevent further progression.

• H. Wilson Tang, MD

Cardiovascular Medicine, Hemodynamic Diagnostics

In some cases, specialized cardiac catheterization hemodynamic measurements with dual chamber catheters and respirometer are needed to pinpoint the diagnosis and target treatment.

• Mazen Hanna, MD
• Amar Krishnaswamy, MD

Cardiothoracic Surgery

Surgical procedures for pericardial disease include pericardiectomy, percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy, pericardial window, and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

Cardiovascular Surgeons

• Marijan Koprivanac, MD
• Kenneth McCurry, MD
• Nicholas Smedira, MD
• Edward Soltesz, MD
• Michael Tong, MD
• Shinya Unai, MD

Thoracic Surgeons

• Sudish Murthy, MD

Other Specialties

Other specialties are often needed to assist in confirming a diagnosis or treating an underlying or associated condition. These medical professionals are experts in their field and have a particular specialty interest in the treatment of pericardial diseases.

Rheumatologic and Immunologic Disease

• Soumya Chatterjee, MD, MS, FRCP
• Rula Hajj-Ali, MD
• Elaine Husni, MD, MPH
• Linda M. Mileti, MD
• Alexandra Villa-Forte, MD, MPH

Infectious Disease

• Steven Gordon, MD
• Thomas G. Fraser, MD

Pathology

• Rene Rodriguez, MD
• Carmela Tan, MD

Cardiovascular Clinical Genetics

• Mina Chung, MD
• H. Wilson Tang, MD

Appointments

By Phone

Toll-free 800.659.7822.

Let the appointment office know if you are having acute symptoms. When you make your appointment, ask the appointment secretary for the name of your physician.

Directions

Go to Desk J1 - 5, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.

• Door-to-door/valet directions
• Door-to-garage directions
• Travel Guide

Online

Use our secure online form to submit an appointment request 24/7. We will receive it and follow-up with you as soon as possible.

• Submit an online request

Physician Referrals

Mon. - Fri., 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (ET):
toll-free 800.659.7822

• More info on referrals, transfers and critical care transport

Appointment Information

What to Expect

Whether you are coming from around the corner or around the world, you want to know what to expect before, during and after your visit with us. If you have any questions while reviewing this information, please contact us. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

Before your appointment

If you are scheduled at least one week away, you will be asked to send your records, including medical history, test results and films (e.g., echocardiogram, chest X-ray, MRI or CT). All information should be sent in the same package clearly marked with your name and address via Airborne Express, Federal Express or certified U.S. mail (including your tracking number) to the physician with whom you have an appointment.

Send your records to:

Physician Name
Pericardial Center
Cleveland Clinic
9500 Euclid Avenue - Desk J1 - 5
Cleveland, OH 44195

If you are scheduled less than one week out, please bring your records to your appointment.

Traveling to Cleveland Clinic

When you make your appointment, we would like to make traveling to Cleveland Clinic as easy as possible. Information on travel to the Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute.

During your appointment

You will meet with a nurse who will collect your information, and begin the documentation process.

Depending on the specific type of pericardial disease, you may be sent for specialized blood tests and imaging tests (electrocardiogram, comprehensive transthoracic echocardiogram, transesophageal echocardiogram, cardiac MR and multidetector CT scanning). All imaging tests will be interpreted by imaging specialists within the Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pericardial Diseases. Some patients will also be scheduled for a specialized cardiac catheterization which will be performed by a hemodynamic diagnostic specialist with the Center.

You will meet with your center cardiologist who will review your records, take your medical history, perform a physical exam, and advise on consultations with other specialists (e.g., cardiac and thoracic surgeons, infectious disease specialists, rheumatologists, and/or oncologists) within the Center as needed. If you need to meet with one of the multidisciplinary specialists, they will be consulted within one to two days. The Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pericardial Diseases Cardiologist will provide you with a diagnosis and plan of care.

How long will you need to stay at Cleveland Clinic?

To complete all testing, you will need to stay in the Cleveland area for 1 to 2 days.

After your visit

Most follow-up will be done in six months to one year, or as needed. There is an opportunity for telephone follow-up as well.

Research

For Patients

Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute physicians, surgeons, and researchers continue to research into new treatments and therapies with the goal of improving patient care and outcomes into the future.

• More information on Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute Research

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials (or research studies) help us create the medicine of tomorrow. They provide hope through offering testing of new drugs, new surgical techniques or other treatments before they are widely available.

We can help you access hundreds of clinical trials across all specialty areas. Our new searchable online trials tool makes identifying treatment opportunities easier than ever.