Cardiac Hydatid Cysts

There is an increasing number of reports in the literature of cases of primary echinococcosis of the heart which have been treated surgically.Prior to 1932, when Long performed the first successful operation, these cysts were nearly always diag- nosed in the post-mortem room.Until 1947 only four successful cases had been reported.Since that time there have been another 42 cases in the world, of which all but seven have been reported as cured.The following are two cases successfully treated by operation.CASE REPORTS CASE 1 Mrs. B. M. S. aged 23 years was referred to the Thoracic Surgical Clinic of the Royal Hobart Hospital on 18 April 1961 for investigation of a lesion seen in a plain radiograph of the chest (Fig. 1) which had been taken when she had complained of pains in the breasts.This radiograph showed a calci- fied shadow at the apex of the left ventricle.She had no complaints other than those related to the breasts; her general health was good; she had a normal exercise tolerance and had no cough..1 FIG. 1. Case 1.-The calcified rim can be seen at the apex of the heart.