Cardiac arrest revealing an occult interventricular septal hydatid cyst in a child.
Emine Pinar Kulluoglu, Fatih Durak
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
An 11-year-old girl experienced sudden cardiac arrest during a biopsy of a dorsal hydatid cyst. After resuscitation, echocardiography revealed a 5.3 × 4.6 cm cyst in the interventricular septum, with CT showing liver involvement. Serological tests confirmed echinococcosis. The patient later developed recurrent ventricular arrhythmias and complete atrioventricular block, necessitating surgical excision, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement, and albendazole therapy.
What made this case unusual
The case illustrates an atypical presentation of cardiac echinococcosis in a child, leading to life-threatening arrhythmias.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should consider the possibility of cardiac involvement in pediatric patients with echinococcosis, especially when arrhythmias occur.
Why it matters
This case emphasizes the need for thorough pre-procedural evaluations to identify potential cardiac complications in patients with hydatid disease.