A large cardiac hydatid cyst in the interventricular septum: A case report.

Isolated cardiac location is an uncommon presentation of echinococcosis (0.5-2%), and involvement of the interventricular septum is even rarer. It may lead to various complications because of rupture and embolization. We report the case of a 26 - year- old man who was diagnosed to have a large inter-ventricular hydatid cyst complicated by both cerebral and coronary embolism. Presentation, management and follow-up of the patient is discussed. This case is of particular interest because of the rarity of septal localization of a hydatid cyst, and the conflict between the severity of the complications that occurred and the absence of correlated symptoms.

Differences between idiopathic and ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic cardiomyopathy can be reversible after revascularization hence the interest of making systematic coronary angiography that remain an invasive procedure. AIM: To detect epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical differences between idiopathic and ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy to identify predictors of coronary artery disease and to evaluate the interest of making systematic coronary angiography within the etiological check-up of dilated cardiomyopathy. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy in whom coronary angiography allowed to distinguish the ischemic cardiomyopathy group from that of idiopathic cardiomyopathy. We compared the clinical and paraclinical findings between these two groups. RESULTS: We identified 102 patients: 42 had ischemic cardiomyopathy and 60 had idiopathic cardiomyopathy. These two groups were comparable according to age and sex. Diabetes was significantly more common (p = 0.002) in the first group. Dyspnea was more common in the second group (p = 0.03) as well as atrial fibrillation and left bundle branch block (p=0,04 and p=0,05, respectively). Renal failure, fasting hyperglycemia and echocardiographic segmental wall motion abnormalities were significantly more frequent in the group of ischemic cardiomyopathy (p=0.01). In multivariate analysis, diabetes (OR=3,291, IC95% : 1,167-10,969), renal failure (OR=11,001, IC95% : 2,15-39,85) and segmental wall motion abnormalities (OR=2,351, IC95% :0.934-5.915) were independent predictors of ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. CONCLUSION: Diabetes, kidney failure and disorders of wall motion appears to be predictors for the ischemic origin of dilated cardiomyopathy and thereby help to limit the routine use of this invasive technique in the diagnosis.

A giant right atrial myxoma with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Here we report a case of a right atrial mass that morphology mimicking myxoma, in a young patient with no past medical history. The mass was pathologically confirmed to be symptomatic and surgical removal was successfully done.

Ischemic cardiomyopathy revealed by central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO).

Here we report a case of central retinal artery occlusion revealing an ischemic cardiomyopathy. A 54-year old smoker man presented at the hospital because of sudden visual loss in his left eye. There was cherry-red spot in the macula in his left eye. We performed a fluorescein angiogram and cervical color Doppler. Later investigations revealed an ischemic cardiomyopathy undiagnosed until then.