Rupture of a Presumed Hydatid Cyst of the Interventricular Septum Diagnosed by Transoesophageal Echocardiography

Abstract

Cardiac echinococcosis is an infrequent disease and is seen in 0.2–3% of patients with echinococcal disease.1Transthoracic echocardiography has been used to diagnose and evaluate intracardiac echinococcosis.1 2 Septal involvement of the hydatid cyst is observed quite rarely and is always associated with various conduction disturbances, as well as sudden death from arrhythmias.3 Cardiac involvement with echinococcosis may result in other potentially lethal complications.4 There have been many case reports of cardiac cysts; however, there have been none demonstrating a ruptured hydatid cyst by transthoracic echocardiography and confirmed by transoesophageal echocardiography.

A 33 year old woman presented to the emergency room with chest pain of sudden onset that had lasted six hours and became progressively intense with time; she was transferred to the cardiology clinic. In addition to chest pain, she complained of periodic palpitations and dyspnoea on exertion. Blood pressure was 90/40 mm Hg and pulse rate 123 beats/min. Cardiac auscultation revealed tachycardic first and …