CASE REPORTS  THORACIC SECTION 

The Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery 2004 February;45(1):77-80

Copyright © 2004 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Solitary pericardial hydatid cyst

Rena O. ¹, Garavoglia M. ², Francini M. ², Bellora P. ², Oliaro A. ³, Casadio C. ¹

¹ Division of Thoracic Surgery “Maggiore della Carità” General Hospital, Novara, Italy 2 Division of General Surgery “Maggiore della Carità” General Hospital, Novara, Italy 3 Division of Thoracic Surger University of Turin, Turin, Italy

Hydatid cyst of the heart is an uncommon presentation of human echinococcosis which may lead to life-threatening conditions. Diagnosis should be suspected in every case of cyst-like mass in persons coming from areas where echinococcus granulosus is endemic. Echocardiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging can help in the differential diagnosis of the lesion. Even if some reports of successful therapy with benzimidazoles have been described, the treatment of choice is the surgical excision of the cyst. Pericardiectomy with cyst removal is feasible with low morbidity and mortality rates even in elder patients.
The authors describe the successful surgical management of a single giant pericardial hydatid cyst in a 78-year-old woman from North Africa.