Postcardiotomy syndrome

**Definition:** Postcardiotomy syndrome is a hypersensitivity reaction to antigen derived from injured myocardium 3 weeks to 2 months after myocardial infarction, cardiac surgery, or penetrating and non penetrating heart injury. The diagnosis is made by history of heart injury, and exclusion of other diseases such as congestive heart failure, recurrent myocardial infarction, endocarditis, myocarditis, and pericarditis.