Hydatid cyst of the cardiac interventricular septum: report of two cases.

Cardiac hydatid cysts are rare and represent less than 2% of all hydatid cases. They can occur as part of a widespread systemic infection or as an isolated event. Cardiac hydatid cysts rarely involve the interventricular septum. Here, we present two cases of cardiac hydatid disease in which one patient had the lesion in the interventricular septum and the other in both the interventricular septum and the apex of the heart. A brief overview of the disease and the role of echocardiography, dynamic enhanced multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and MRI imaging in establishing the diagnosis are discussed.

Dissection of the intracranial internal carotid artery producing isolated oculomotor nerve palsy with sparing of pupil.

Dissection of the internal carotid artery usually occurs in the cervical segment, but rarely may involve the artery in the intracranial course (1). The clinical course of intracranial dissection is often catastrophic, with rapid onset of profound neurological deficit, as a result of middle and/or anterior cerebral artery involvement. When this occurs the mortality rate is generally considered high. We describe a case of intracranial internal carotid artery dissection following trivial trauma presented with an isolated painful pupillary sparing oculomotor nerve palsy.