Hydatid cysts in uncommon locations in the same patient: simultaneous cardiac and spinal involvement
1Bakirköy Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases Hospital, 2nd Neurosurgery Clinic, Istanbul, Turkey.
Insights
Simultaneous spinal and cardiac hydatid disease is extremely rare. This case highlights the importance of prompt surgical intervention for cardiac cysts, which carry a poor prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Infectious Diseases
- Surgical Case Reports
Background:
- Hydatid disease, caused by Echinococcus granulosus, is endemic in certain regions.
- Spinal and cardiac involvement are rare, each accounting for only 0.5-1% of hydatidosis cases.
- Simultaneous occurrence in the spine and heart is exceptionally uncommon.
Observation:
- A 34-year-old male presented with recurrent lumbosacral hydatidosis.
- Incidental diagnosis of a cardiac hydatid cyst during investigation for spinal disease.
- Previous surgical history of two operations for lumbosacral hydatidosis.
Findings:
- The patient had widespread sacropelvic region involvement with hydatid cysts.
- A cardiac hydatid cyst was identified and successfully removed.
- Recurrence of hydatid disease despite previous complete cyst removal.
Implications:
- Simultaneous spinal and cardiac hydatidosis presents a unique clinical challenge.
- Cardiac hydatid cysts are associated with a poor prognosis.
- Urgent surgical excision is crucial for managing cardiac hydatid disease.
Introduction:
The spine and cardiac cavities are uncommon locations for hydatid disease. Spinal and cardiac hydatid cases separately constitute only 0.5-1% of all hydatid cases. We reported a case with spinal and cardiac involvement simultaneously. Clinical and radiological findings of this unique case are discussed.
Case Report:
A thirty-four-year-old male patient was admitted to hospital with pain at the low back and left thigh. He had undergone surgery for lumbosacral hydatidosis twice before. Cysts had been removed totally in the last operation. The disease relapsed with widespread involvement of the sacropelvic region. During the investigation, we diagnosed a cyst in the cardiac cavity, incidentally. The cyst in the cardiac cavity was removed totally.
Discussion:
Hydatid disease is still an endemic disease in South America and some Mediterranean countries including Turkey. Cysts rarely involve the spine and cardiac cavities. The simultaneous involvement of the sacropelvic region and the cardiac cavity is an extremely rare condition. Cardiac cysts have a poor prognosis. Prompt surgical extraction of the cyst is a critical mainstay of the management.
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