Surgical treatment of cardiac hydatid disease: A report of 7 cases

Abstract

Cardiac echinococcosis is a rare but potentially very serious complication of hydatid disease. It is a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge due to the variability of signs and symptoms at presentation and to its numerous, often unpredictable, preoperative complications. Our clinical experiences with 7 cases of cardiac echinococcosis are reported, and the diagnostic and therapeutic considerations for the management of patients are discussed, together with a review of the literature.

Fig. 1 Patient 2. Posteroanterior chest radiograph shows bulging of the left lower border of the heart (arrows).

Fig. 2 Patient 6. Computed tomographic scan shows a 62- × 66-mm mass (arrows) in the apicoposterior wall of the left ventricle.

Fig. 3 Patient 5. Operative view shows a 4- × 4-cm cyst located in the posterior wall of the left ventricle. ^* = posterior wall of the left ventricle; † = cyst; x = apex of the left ventricle

Fig. 4 Patient 7. A) Postoperative Doppler ultrasonogram of the abdominal aorta shows occlusion of the terminal aorta by the embolized germinative membrane (arrow). B) The germinative membrane was enucleated (arrow) from the abdominal aorta.