Surgery for cardiac hydatid disease: an Anatolian experience

The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical/pathological features and the outcome of the surgical treatment of cardiac hydatid disease in our unit and other hospitals of Anatolia over a fifteen-years period.

Between 1984 and 2001, fifty cases of surgically treated cardiac hydatid disease were identified by systematic literature search from Anatolia. Twelve patients were operated at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Ankara University within the same period. Overall thirty-nine patients were female (mean age 29.8+/-14 years). Sixty-three percent of patients were complaining of dyspnea at the time of referral to the hospital and 22% presented with signs of acute coronary syndrome.

The most common cardiac location was the left ventricle (46.7%) followed by the interventricular septum, the right ventricle and atria. The most common procedure was controlled puncture and aspiration of the cyst content, its excision and closure of the resulting cavity, which were performed under cardiopulmonary bypass. Overall Anatolian operative mortality was 4.8% (3 patients). No late deaths but recurrence in one patient have occurred.

In view of the lack of efficient alternative treatment options, we recommend surgical intervention even in asymptomatic patients in order to prevent the occurrence of lethal complications.