Rupture of a presumed hydatid cyst of the interventricular septum diagnosed by transoesophageal echocardiography.

Cardiac echinococcosis is an infrequent disease and is seen in 0.2–3% of patients with echinococcal disease. Transthoracic echocardiography has been used to diagnose and evaluate intracardiac echinococcosis. 2 Septal involvement of the hydatid cyst is observed quite rarely and is always associated with various conduction disturbances, as well as sudden death from arrhythmias. Cardiac involvement with echinococcosis may result in other potentially lethal complications. There have been many case reports of cardiac cysts; however, there have been none demonstrating a ruptured hydatid cyst by transthoracic echocardiography and confirmed by transoesophageal echocardiography.