Cardiopericardial hydatid cysts

Cardiac hydatic cyst is a rare parasitic disease. We reported 45 patients w ith cardiac hydatid cysts; 33 of the 45 had a primitive, unique cardiac cys t. Altogether, 18 patients of our series were asymptomatic, and 27 patients complained of symptoms (dyspnea, chest pain, palpitations). In 11 cases th e cyst was revealed by an acute complication; 3 of the 11 had pulmonary met astatic hydatidosis. The diagnosis was based on a series of test results in which hydatid serology and imaging (echocardiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging) played a predominant role. Cystopericystectomy is the gold standard procedure but is sometimes unsuitable for particular sites. In that case, a conservative approach (partial pericystectomy) is ma ndatory to preserve organ function. The operative mortality rate is 5.5%, T wo pericardial recurrences were reported during follow-up.