Constrictive Pericarditis Following Rupture of a Ventricular Hydatid Cyst

Infestation of man by the larval stage of Tania echinococcus is followed by growth of a primary hydatid cyst.In 1 or 2 per cent of affected patients, this cyst is located in the myocardium, and in about one-tenth of these, it ruptures at some stage into the pericardium (Deve, 1915).Considerable experience of this complication in Uruguay was reviewed recently (Dighiero et al., 1958).Those patients who survive the acute rupture show various forms of chronic pericarditis, usually with continued growth of the primary or daughter cysts.Chronic constrictive pericarditis has been recorded, occurring in "cases of protracted evolution of an overlooked hydatido-pericardium" (Larghero, Di Bello, and Victorica, 1950).The case recorded here followed such a course, but is unusual in that spontaneous death of the parasite had apparently occurred, and effective surgical treatment was therefore possible. Case ReportThe patient, a 23-year-old girl, came from an inland area of north-eastern Australia, and was first seen by us in September 1961.In July 1958, she had gradually become ill, with fatigue, loss of weight, rapid on July 11,