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Cardiac arrest revealing an occult interventricular septal hydatid cyst in a child

Emine Pinar Kulluoglu1, Fatih Durak1

  • 1Department of Pediatric Intensive Care, Izmir Katip Celebi University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir 35620, Turkey.

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
|May 23, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Cystic echinococcosis rarely affects the heart in children. This case shows a child with a heart cyst causing dangerous arrhythmias, emphasizing thorough pre-procedure screening for pediatric echinococcosis.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Parasitology

Background:

  • Cardiac involvement in cystic echinococcosis is uncommon, especially in pediatric patients.
  • Interventricular septal localization of hydatid cysts poses a significant risk for life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a rare case of cystic echinococcosis with interventricular septal involvement in a child.
  • To highlight the diagnostic and management challenges associated with cardiac echinococcosis in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • A case presentation of an 11-year-old girl experiencing sudden cardiac arrest during a hydatid cyst biopsy.
  • Diagnostic workup included transthoracic echocardiography, computed tomography, and serology for echinococcosis.
  • Management involved surgical cyst excision, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement, and medical therapy.

Main Results:

  • Transthoracic echocardiography identified a large cyst (5.3 × 4.6 cm) within the interventricular septum.
  • The patient developed recurrent ventricular arrhythmias and complete atrioventricular block post-biopsy.
  • Concomitant hepatic echinococcosis was also detected.

Conclusions:

  • Occult cardiac involvement in pediatric echinococcosis carries substantial risks.
  • Comprehensive pre-procedural evaluation is crucial for identifying potential cardiac complications in children with echinococcosis.
Abstract

Keywords:
cardiac arrhythmiachildechinococcosishydatid cystventricular septum

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