Rare cause of pulmonary embolism in a child

Cardiac hyclaticyst is a rare condition and accounts for only 0.5 to 2% of all visceral locations of hydatid disease. The objective of this study was to point out the main clinical, radiological, and disease-course characteristics of this rare and serious pathology. We report a 13-year-old patient with a hydatid pulmonary embolism caused by a hydatid cyst of the interauricular septum. The diagnosis was established by transthoracic echocardiography, thoracic CT scan, and hydatid serology. Surgery was performed without delay and the outcome was good after 15 months of follow-up. This case underlines the need for rapid diagnosis and surgery before complications of cardiac hydatid cyst. (C) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.