Acute limb ischemia caused by ruptured cardiac hydatid cyst – A case report

INTRODUCTION: Acute limb ischemia is a sudden decrease in limb perfusion that threatens the viability of the limb. Complete or even partial occlusion of the arterial supply to a limb can lead to rapid ischemia and poor functional outcomes within hours. In human echinococcosis cardiac involvement is a rare presentation, it may lead to life-threatening complications including cyst rupture; anaphylactic shock; tamponade; pulmonary, cerebral or peripheral arterial embolism. Cardiac hydatid cyst (CHC) may have different presentation include acute lower limb ischemia secondary to embolization from a ruptured cyst. CASE PRESENTATION: We report an 18-year old male healthy building worker while he was working who presented with sudden onset acute right lower limb pain and paresthesia caused by rupture of primary CHC which managed as a surgical emergency. DISCUSSION: Clinical presentation of ruptured of CHC depends on the specific location of the ruptured cyst that interferes and mobilization of daughter cyst that logged in vascular system with the function of the surrounding cardiac structures like our case that present with embolization of daughter cyst into the right external iliac artery which leads to acute limb ischemia. CONCLUSION: Cardiac hydatid cyst is a rare finding with a wide range of signs and symptoms. We are reporting this case to underline that cardiac hydatidosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis in young patients who suddenly develop acute limb ischaemic without a history of both cardiac diseases and trauma that lives in endemic regions of hydatidosis.