Journal of Clinical Case Reports

Cardiac Hydatidosis in a 57-Year-Old Woman

Abstract

Milouchi R, Sghaier A, Ajmi H, Jabloun TY, Ferjani S, Ben Habib A and Zidi A

Hydatidosis is a parasitic infection due to the development of the larval form of Echinococcus granulosus. It is still a public health problem in endemic countries, particularly around the Mediterranean. The diagnosis is sometimes delayed. This depends on the hydatid site and the on the symptoms. But it relies essentially on the existing imaging techniques. The cardiac localization is rare. In most of the cases it is found on the left ventricle (LV). We report the case of an intramyocardial hydatidosis in a 57-year-old patient who had been suffering from an on-exertion dyspnea with chest pain for over 5 years. The patient underwent a resection of the cyst by sternotomy under extracorporeal circulation. Albendazole, an anti-parasitic medical treatment, was prescribed postoperatively. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of pericardial hydatid cyst. Postoperative control imaging demonstrated an intra-myocardial residual cyst.