False hydatic aneurysm of the thoracic aorta

Hydatid Disease With Pseudoaneurysm Formation of the Descending Thoracic Aorta

Human Echinococcus disease is a zoonosis that primarily affects the liver and lungs. We report a rare case of hydatid disease in the posterior mediastinum with pseudoaneurysm formation of the descending thoracic aorta and erosion of thoracic vertebral bodies. The patient was surgically treated with removal of multiple daughter cysts and primary repair of the aorta.

Hydatid Cyst in the Wall of the Ascending Aorta

Hydatid disease rarely involves the aortic wall. We report a case of hydatidosis involving the ascending aorta and the left atrium. The patient underwent replacement of the ascending aorta with a prosthetic Dacron graft and left atrial cystectomy. At the 6-month follow-up, she was leading a normal life.

[Pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta. Rare complication following aortic valve replacement]

False aneurysm of the ascending aorta has been reported as a rare complication of cardiovascular surgery among which the etiology, the physiopathology and the natural evolution are still badly known. The diagnosis is often fortuitous. The clinical polymorphism of the affection imposes the appeal to the morphological explorations to establish an early diagnosis and determine the adequate therapeutic attitude. This complication of the cardiac surgery is associated with a high mortality in spite of the cardiovascular surgery progress. In this report, we present a case of a pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta which was discovered six months after aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis. We discuss in this article the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of this case.

Endovascular treatment of the descending thoracic aorta in a patient with a hydatid pseudoaneurysm

We present a patient affected by systemic hydatidosis with an unusual localization in the thoracic aorta. The pseudoaneurysm, which was treated 8 years ago with conventional surgery, was retreated with an endovascular procedure. The particular evolution of the pathology needed further endovascular intervention. Endovascular exclusion is not the final solution of the disease but protects against rupture of the vessel and systemic dissemination of the disease.

Hydatid cyst of the abdominal aorta and common iliac arteries complicated by a false aneurysm: a case report

The rupture of hydatid cysts into the abdominal aorta is an unusual and serious complication of the hydatid disease. The authors describe a case of a 12-year-old girl with hydatid disease presenting as a retroperitoneal mass invading the wall of the abdominal aortic bifurcation and complicated by a false aneurysm. Difficulties of preoperative diagnosis and operative management were discussed, and the literature was reviewed.

[Pulsating thoracic mass as a main symptom of gigantic pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta]

The pseudoaneurysms of the ascending aorta are very infrequent but their diagnosis is important because of the associated high mortality. They usually appear in patients who have undergone aortic-related surgery, but the time that passes until they appear can be very prolonged and suspicious signs and symptoms can be quite anodyne. We present two cases of pseudoaneurysms of ascending aorta in two patients who underwent cardiovascular operations several months before, which were of such a considerable size that the first and practically the only symptoms were the sudden appearance of a pulsating thoracic mass because of pseudoaneurysm compression at this site.

Echinococcus of the pulmonary artery: CT, MRI and MRA findings

The location of echinococcal cysts inside pulmonary artery is extremely rare. The cause is usually rupture of intracardiac cysts. We report a case of a 67-year-old patient with known lung hydatid disease whose main clinical presentation was dyspnea. The patient did not have any surgery in the past. The importance of the present case lies in the demonstration of the MR angiographic findings.

[Mediastinal hydatid cysts: 8 cases]

Hydatidosis in humans is a parasitic disease produced by cystic growth of the larvae of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus, affecting mainly the liver and lung. Larvae are rarely present in the mediastinum, although approximately 100 cases have been described in the literature. We report eight cases of hydatid cysts of the mediastinum (HCM) treated surgically over a period of 21 years. The incidence was similar in males and females and ages ranged from 10 to 74 years. Symptoms depend on size, location and involvement of neighboring structures in HCM. The most serious complication is cyst rupture with consequent transfer of hydatid material to the blood, possibly causing anaphylactic shock and even death. Currently, sonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance images facilitate diagnosis. Treatment involves excision of the cyst and peri-cystic tissue. CHM should be suspected when mediastinal cysts are found in countries where the incidence of hydatidosis is high.