Clinical characteristics and surgical treatment of cardiac and pericardial echinococcosis / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective: To review clinical characteristics of cardiac and pericardial hydatid cysts and assess the results of surgical treatment. Methods: From February 1978 to July 1999, 13 patients were diagnosed as heart and/or pericardium echinococcosis. There were nine male and four female. Their age ranged from 8 to 36 years ［mean (23.0±8.5) years］. 10 patients were symptomatic and 3 were asymptomatic. 3 patients had involvement of liver or lung. Pathologic cardiac murmur or cardiac enlargements were found in 10 patients. All patients were examined with chest roentgenograms, electrocardiogram and echocardiography. The serologic test was positive in 11 cases and negative in 3 cases. One right atrial cyst was removed under extracorporal circulation. 4 single pericardial cyst and multi-pericardial cyst were resected, 6 myocardial cysts and one complicated myocard ial and pericardial cysts were resected through puncture-aspiration endocystect omy. Results: All patients were followed up from six months to six years ［mean (3.5±1.5) years］. One late death occurred ten-month after operation, and the cause of death was heart failure. 3 patients had recurrence and were reoperated. Conclusion: The clinical characters may vary according to the number, size and location of cysts. Echocardiography is important for surgical planning. The results of endocystectomy of cardiac and pericardial echinococcosis were excellent.