Hydatid cyst in the pulmonary artery: An uncommon localization

Abstract

Pulmonary artery involvement of hydatid disease caused by the Echinococcus granulosus parasite is an uncommon condition resulting from the opening of a visceral hydatid cyst into the venous circulation or the rupture of a cardiac hydatid cyst. We report a case of a 31-year-old woman with a hydatid cyst located in the right pulmonary artery. Clinical presentation was fatigue, cough, and dyspnea. Diagnosis was made by chest x-ray, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. The cyst was extracted under total circulatory arrest. Diagnosis and surgical therapy of the intraluminal pulmonary arterial hydatid cyst prevented possible occurrence of severe complications, such as cyst rupture, anaphylactic shock, and sudden death.