Summary

Postoperative pericardial effusion (POPE) is present within the first 7 days after cardiac surgery in 50% to 80% of patients, and the risk for early cardiac tamponade ranges from 0.5% to 1%. There is no drug that can treat this local hemorrhagic complication. The Colchicine Treatment for Post-operative Pericardial Effusion [POPE-2; NCT01266694] was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate whether COL could reduce the volume of POPE.