SUCCESSFUL TRANSABDOMINAL SUEXIPHOID PERICARDIOSTOMY TO RELIEVE CHRONIC PERICARDIAL EFFUSION IN A SUMATRAN ORANGUTAN (PONGO ABELLI).

The article presents a case study of a 46-year-old female orangutan (Pongo abelli) diagnosed with pericardial effusion in July 2006. She was performed with pericardiocentesis to give short-term relief in January 2007. A transabdominal subxiphoid percardiostomy technique was used to create a pericardialperitoneal window to give her immediate and long-term relief in May 2007. The orangutan died due to heart failure after seven months and pericardial effusion was absent.