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Surgical treatment of coronary insufficiency produced by cardiac echinococcosis
Insights
Cardiac echinococcosis can cause coronary artery obstruction. Surgical cyst excision and bypass grafting successfully treated two patients, highlighting the need for coronary angiography in diagnosis and management.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Parasitology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Hydatid cysts in the heart are rare but can cause significant complications.
- Cardiac echinococcosis can lead to coronary artery obstruction, mimicking ischemic heart disease.
Abstract:
We report two cases in which the pertinent angiographic studies disclosed the presence of hydatid cysts of the left ventricle, producing complete obstruction of the left anterior descending coronary artery in one patient and of the left anterior descending coronary artery and the circumflex coronary artery in the other patient. Both patients were successfully treated by excision of the cyst and myocardial revascularization with saphenous venous bypass grafts. From the analysis of symptoms in cardiac echinococcosis, we concluded that precordial pain is the most common complaint, that it can be due to coronary insufficiency, and that at the present, coronary angiographic studies have to be performed systematically in these patients, since coronary involvement by the cyst can explain some of the clinical manifestations and complications of the disease and can also influence its surgical management.