From January, 1982, to December, 1990, 15 patients underwent pericardiectomy for chronic constrictive pericarditis on Department Of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, School of Medicine, Pusan National University. There were 9 male and 6 female patients [male to female ratio was 1.5: 1] ranging from 15 years to 63 years old [mean age 35.0]. All patients underwent pericardiectomy through a median sternotomy, partial cardiopulmonary bypass was performed on two patients. There were 3 postoperative death [20%]. Six cases [40%] were tuberculous origin 5 cases [34%] were Idiopathic [nonspecific chronic inflammatory change was considered to idiopathic], 2 cases [13%] were malignant origin, 2 cases [13Yo] were pyogenic origin. Dyspnea on exertion was evident in all patients and abdominal distention, general weakness, palpitation, peripheral edema were found. Eleven patients showed low voltage of QRS wave, 7 patients showed diffuse ST-T wave change, 2 patients showed atrial fibrillation on EKG. There were 6 patient showed pericardial thickening, 5 patients showed evidence of restriction, 5 patients showed pericardial effusion, 4 patients showed low cardiac output on preoperative echocardiogram. Hemodynamic response to pericardiectomy were observed; preoperative CVP 26.8 cmH2O declined to 15.0 cmH2O. Preoperative NYHA Functional class showed class II - 1, class III - 10, class IV - 4, postoperative NYHA functional class showed class I - 7, class II - 4, class Ill - l.