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Solitary pericardial hydatid cyst
O Rena1, M Garavoglia, M Francini
1Division of Thoracic Surgery, Maggiore della Carità General Hospital, Novara, Italy. ottavio.rena@tiscalinet.it
The Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery
|March 26, 2004
Summary
Hydatid cysts in the heart are rare but dangerous. Surgical removal, like pericardiectomy, offers a safe and effective treatment, even for elderly patients with giant pericardial cysts.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Parasitology
- Surgical Oncology
Background:
- Hydatid cyst of the heart is an uncommon manifestation of echinococcosis.
- Echinococcus granulosus endemic areas necessitate high suspicion for cyst-like cardiac masses.
Observation:
- Echocardiography, CT, and MRI aid in differential diagnosis of cardiac lesions.
- A single giant pericardial hydatid cyst was observed in a 78-year-old female patient from North Africa.
Findings:
- Surgical excision is the definitive treatment for cardiac hydatid cysts.
- Pericardiectomy with cyst removal demonstrated low morbidity and mortality in this elderly patient.
Implications:
- Successful surgical management of giant pericardial hydatid cysts is feasible in elderly patients.
- Highlights the importance of considering echinococcosis in endemic populations with cardiac masses.