Surgical excision of an epicardial ventricular hydatid cyst.

Isolated cardiac hydatid cyst is a rare entity. It warrants early surgical repair because cyst rupture is potentially fatal. We report the case of a 32-year-old lady with an epicardial ventricular hydatid cyst, which was managed successfully by complete cyst excision.

[Combined left hemihepatectomy for multiple organ alveococcosis]. / Kombinirovannaya levaya gemigepatektomiya v lechenii mul'tiorgannogo al'veokokkoza.

Advanced multiple organ parasitic invasion is reported in the article. A thorough assessment of pathological process, surgical anatomy and preoperative examination resulted radical surgery despite multiple organ disease. Surgical procedure included extended left-sided hemihepatectomy, atypical resection of S6liver segment and pancreas, removal of themediastinal parasite with partial excision of parietal pleura and pericardium.

Right ventricular hydatid cyst ruptured to pericardium.

Cardiac hydatidosis is rare presentation of body hydatidosis. Incidence of cardiac involvements range from 5% to 5% of patients with hydatid disease. Most common site of hydatid cyst in heart is interventricular septum and left ventricular free wall. Right ventricular free wall involvement by cyst that ruptured to pericardial cavity is very rare presentation of hydatid cyst. Cardiac involvement may have serious consequences such as rupture to blood steam or pericardial cavity. Both the disease and its surgical treatment carry a high complication rate, including rupture leading to cardiac tamponade, anaphylaxis and also death. In the present report, a 43-year-old man with constrictive pericarditis secondary to a pericardial hydatid cyst is described.

Giant cardiac hydatid cyst in the interventricular septum protruding to right ventricular epicardium.

Cardiac hydatid cyst is a rare condition, and the location of a hydatid cyst in the interventricular septum is exceptional. A 54-year-old female was admitted to our hospital with complaints of chest pain, shortness of breath and malaise. Transthoracic echocardiography defined a cystic mass lesion of 50 × 59 mm originating from apex of the heart protruding into and compressing the interventricular septum. The cyst was excised surgically and the patient was discharged on the 8th postoperative day without symptoms. In our case, localization of the cystic mass was within interventricular septum which is an uncommon site. It limited both ventricular volumes significantly. In addition, this cyst was extensively protruding to the right ventricular epicardium.

Host specificity and local infection dynamics of Kudoa leptacanthae n. sp. (Multivalvulida: Kudoidae) from the pericardial cavity of two Zoramia spp. (Perciformes: Apogonidae) at Lizard Island lagoon, Queensland, Australia.

Kudoa leptacanthae n. sp. was identified within the pericardial cavities of two apogonid species, Zoramia leptacantha and Zoramia viridiventer, from waters off Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef. The species shows a close taxonomic affinity, both morphologically and genetically, to Kudoa shiomitsui Egusa & Shiomitsu 1983 reported from a tetraodontid and scombrid, both from Japan. The infection was at high prevalences (average = 75.8% ± 0.63, n = 343) within schools of the two host species. Different sporogonic stages ('developing' and 'fully-developed') were observed in pseudocysts within the pericardium of the hosts. Kudoa leptacanthae n. sp. appears to be a persistent infection within the Zoramia species hosts. No seasonal variation was detected for this host/parasite system and the parasite did not affect host condition, when assessed using host length/weight ratio as a coarse indicator. We hypothesise that a source of infection in close proximity to the home patch reef of apogonid schools may lead to the high prevalence and intensity of infection reported in this study.

Onchocerca armillata contamination of a bovine pericardial xenograft in a human patient with repaired tetralogy of Fallot.

BACKGROUND: Bovine pericardial patches are used for many purposes, including facilitating right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction in patients with congenital heart disease. Here we present a case of parasitic contamination of a bovine pericardium used as a transannular patch during repair of tetralogy of Fallot 28 years prior at a hospital in China. METHODS: The patient presented to the University of Washington Medical Center for congestive heart failure and pulmonic regurgitation, and heart tissues including the xenograft pericardial patch were submitted to the Pathology Department and subsequently to the Comparative Pathology Program. RESULTS: The pericardial parasitic nodules with intralesional adult nematodes and microfilaria in the bovine tissues were preserved at harvest by (presumed) glutaraldehyde fixation. CONCLUSION: Onchocerca armillata parasitic pericardiopathy was diagnosed in the xenograft tissue based on the characteristic nematode morphology and the presumed geographic location of the donor bovine. This resulted in O. armillata contamination of the pericardial xenograft in a human patient with repaired tetralogy of Fallot.

The fate of Lernaeocera branchialis (L.) (Crustacea; Copepoda) in Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua L.

Lernaeocera branchialis, a copepod crustacean parasite of gadoids, represents a potential threat to both wild and farmed cod, Gadus morhua. The pathological changes associated with the early stages of experimental infection have previously been reported in detail, and this article describes the lesions associated with later chronic stages of experimental infection. Chronic infection is characterised by extravascular granuloma formation and proliferation of fibrovascular tissue around intact and fragmented, degenerate parasites within both the gill arch and cardiac region. The majority of parasite granulomas are located within connective tissues of the gill arch or pericardium; however, low numbers are present within the wall of large vessels. The intraluminal parasites and thrombi of early stage infection are largely absent in these later lesions. We propose that organisation and incorporation of the parasite thrombus into the vessel wall with subsequent granuloma formation and extrusion into the surrounding connective tissue leads to the elimination of the parasite from the vascular system. Thus, rather than being a negative consequence of infection thrombosis is protective, allowing the host to survive the substantial initial vascular insult.

Isolated pericardial hydatidosis as a cause of chest pain.

We report a case of isolated pericardial hydatidosis as a cause of chest pain.

Cardiac tamponade via a fistula to the pericardium from a hydatid cyst: case report and review of the literature.

Although echinococcus is endemic in many sheep-raising areas of the world, cardiac involvement is rare. Cysts usually reach the heart by means of the coronary circulation, but other routes have been proposed. Pericardial tamponade due to a hydatid cyst has not yet been described in the literature. We present the case of a 46-year-old woman who presented to the Emergency Department with complaints of chest pain and mild dyspnea. Her medical history was positive for a liver hydatid cyst operation 26 years earlier. She was tachypneic, tachycardic, and hypotensive. Pleural and pericardial effusions were detected on transthoracic echocardiography. When she worsened clinically, pericardiocentesis was performed and she promptly improved. A fistula was detected between the liver and pericardium on computed tomography (CT) scan of the torso. Serologic test (agglutination) for Echinococcus granulosus was positive in a 1/32 dilution. A final diagnosis of mediastinal hydatic cyst was made, and a 4-week course of albendazol was given. Then the cyst was surgically excised, and the patient recovered without complications.

Case report: mediastinal hydatid cysts.

Although the intrathoracic location is common for hydatid cyst, chest-wall, mediastinal, pericardial, myocardial, fissural and pleural-space locations have been reported. The incidence of mediastinal involvement is 0.1-0.5%. Here in this paper, two cases of mediastinal hydatid cysts are reported. Both of them had anterior mediastinal hydatidosis, while one of the patients had also additional three pericardial hydatid cysts. They have undergone thoracotomy for the removal of cystic lesions. Hydatid cysts should be considered in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal cystic lesions especially in the endemic regions. Surgical removal is the treatment of choice for mediastinal hydatid cysts, and additional medical therapy may avoid recurrence.

[Surgical treatment of the combined heart, lung and liver hydatid disease].

Results of surgical treatment of 12 patients with the combined hydatid disease of heart and target organs (liver, lungs) are analyzed. Authors recommend echocardiography for all the patients with echinococcosis of target organs as a means of timely heart involvement diagnostics. Simultaneous surgery for the combined hydatid disease is recommended. The use of artificial circulation is reasonable for cardiac echinococcosis (n=66,7%) treatment, whereas pericardial hydatid cysts (n=33,3%) can be operated without such measures. Cyst perforations to the heart cavity should be considered a fatal complication of the disease. Intraoperative lethality achieved 25%.

Isolated pericardial and intracardiac hydatidosis: presentation as congestive cardiac failure and fatal pulmonary embolism.

Localization of hydatid cysts in the heart is a rare phenomenon, with an incidence of 0.5-2%. In almost half these cases, the heart is the sole organ to be involved. We report a case of massive pericardial hydatidosis in a female patient who presented with features of congestive cardiac failure. Cysts in the endocardium of right side of the heart resulted in fatal pulmonary embolism.

Proteome analysis of the cardiac and pericardial tissue of Biomphalaria tenagophila populations susceptible and resistant to Schistosoma mansoni infection.

For a better comprehension of the parasite-host interaction, proteins expressed by the cardiac and pericardial tissues were compared between susceptible (Cabo Frio) and resistant (Taim) Biomphalaria tenagophila populations, challenged (c) and non-challenged (nc) with Schistosoma mansoni. Proteins were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) and stained with Coomassie blue. A total of 146 and 135 spots were observed in Cabo Frio (CFnc) and in Taim (Tnc) non-challenged populations, respectively, whereas 153 spots were detected in both Cabo Frio (CFc) and Taim (Tc) challenged populations. Regarding comparisons between CFnc and CFc, the numbers of exclusive spots obtained were one and nine, respectively, whereas Tnc yielded 17 and Tc eight exclusive spots. By comparing the total of spots in CF (nc+c) with T (nc+c) populations, we obtained: four exclusive spots for CFc; zero for CFnc; four for Tc and; one for Tnc. A quantitative comparison (reason>2.5) of the total spots of CF (nc+c) with T (nc+c) populations allowed us to distinguish five more intense spots for Tc, 14 for Tnc, 15 for CFnc and 11 for CFc. In the CFnc population, two proteins were identified: actin and ATP synthase alpha chain; in the CFc population, four proteins: actin, calmodulin, HSP70, and dehydrogenase; in the Tnc population, five proteins: matrilin, HSP70, actin, ATP synthase alpha chain and intermediate filament of the protein; and in the Tc population, three proteins: actin, alpha-S1 casein and ATP synthase alpha chain. Out of a total of 79 spots, only nine proteins were identified due to the low number of available nucleotide sequences in the GenBank. Nevertheless, knowing proteins regarded as differentially expressed is indispensable for hitherto unidentified genes implicated in B. tenagophila resistance and or susceptibility to S. mansoni infection.

Cardiac hydatid disease: CT and MRI findings.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to review the CT and MRI findings of cardiac hydatid disease. CONCLUSIONS: CT and MRI are helpful for localizing and defining the morphologic features of hydatid cysts. Specific signs include calcification of the cyst wall, presence of daughter cysts, and membrane detachment. CT best shows wall calcification, whereas MRI depicts the exact anatomic location and nature of the internal and external structures.