Hydatid disease of the interventricular septum causing pericardial effusion

Echinococcal infestation of the heart is uncommon. We report a case of a 35 -year-old man with an hydatid cyst located in distal interventricular septu m. Clinical presentation was chest pain and urticaria. Diagnosis was made b y echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging. Surgical resection was p erformed; the cyst was punctured and its content was drained, hypertonic gl ucose solution was instilled for sterilization, and it was removed. The pat ient did well and remains asymptomatic. Diagnosis and ultimate surgical tre atment of this disease prevented potentially lethal complications such as c yst rupture with embolic phenomena and anaphylactic shock. (C) 2001 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.