Polyvisceral echinococcosis with involvement of the heart and chest wall: follow-up and review of literature.

Echinococcosis remains an endemic surgical problem in countries where sheep and cattle raising is carried out, particularly in many Mediterranean countries. The life cycle of echinococcosis is usually marked by the filtration of larvae through the liver and lungs which are the organs most commonly affected by a hydatid cyst. Hydatid cysts in other sites are not common. Cardiac echinococcosis has been reported infrequently even in countries in which hydatid disease is endemic, only isolated sporadic cases have been reported in the literature. Here we report a case of polyvisceral hydatid cyst with involvement of heart and chest wall and reviewed the literature and discussed clinical procedures and management.