[Cardiac hydatid cyst about 17 operated cases]

Cardiac hydatid cyst is a rare parasitic disease. 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 over a twenty-year period.

Between May 1994 and May 2014, seventeen cases of cardiac hydatid cysts were operated at our unit. Overall, twelve patients were male (mean age 25±13years). All patients were complaining of dyspnea and 71% presented with chest pain. The diagnosis, based on histological examination, was suspected on echocardiography and computed tomography of chest.

Our study revealed five possible locations, which were in decreasing order of frequency: left ventricle, interventricular septum, right ventricle, left atrium and pulmonary artery. The surgical procedure was a controlled puncture and aspiration of the cyst content, with cystectomy (69%), or pericystectomy (31%). The resulting cavity left open in 6 cases (37.5%) or carefully closed in 10 (62.5%). Hospital mortality was 11.8% (n=2). Morbidity was marked by conduction abnormalities (n=2), bleeding and hematoma of the residual cavity that required surgical treatment (n=3). Eleven patients were followed with a mean period of 40.5±19.4 months. At follow-up, neither late deaths nor recurrence have occurred.

Cardiac hydatid cyst is a serious disease whose treatment is surgical. Cystectomy and pericystectomy remain the two surgical techniques able to offer good chance of cure with acceptable morbidity and mortality.