Ruptured Cardiac Hydatid Cyst Masquerading as Acute Coronary Syndrome: Report of a Case

Abstract

The case of a 40-year-old man hospitalized for investigation of a doubtful diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome is reported herein. Two-dimensional echocardiography and angiography showed a cardiac cyst localized in the left ventricular apex in close proximity to the left anterior descending coronary artery. Surgery performed with the aid of cardiopulmonary bypass revealed that the cyst had ruptured partially into the left ventricle and filled with thrombus. This case is of particular interest because of the rarity of cardiac localization of a hydatid cyst, and the conflict between the severity of the complications that occurred and the absence of correlated symptoms.