Iraqi boy relieved of 160 cysts in his heart at Bengaluru hospital

Bengaluru: A 12-year-old boy from Iraq was relieved of 160 cysts in his heart, by doctors at a private hospital here on Tuesday. "The four hour long surgery was successfully conducted and the patient withstood the procedure well", Dr Vivek Jawali, chief cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon, who led the team of doctors at Fortis Hospital along with Paediatric cardiac surgeon, Dr. Nischal Rajendra Pandya, said.

Hydatid cysts or hydatid disease is a rare parasitic infection occurring mainly in the sheep rearing areas of the world, a statement issued by the hospital said on Tuesday. Dr Pandya said cases of intracardiac hydatid cysts are uncommon.

Dr Jawali said the boy was known to have contact with sheep and dogs through which it was transmitted.

"These infections generally progress from the gut to the lungs. However in this case it was unusual", he said.

Hydatid disease is a potentially serious and fatal disease which can be cured if treated at the right time and with the right technique, the statement said.

"It is widely endemic in the Middle Eastern countries, but it rarely occurs during childhood.

This case usually involves the liver, which accounts to 5070 per cent or the lungs, accounting to 2030 per cent. Isolated intracardiac hydatids are very rare, accounting to less than two per cent of cases", the statement said.