Abstract

Hydatid disease is a zoonotic infection caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, most frequently affecting the liver and lungs. Vascular involvement is sporadic, and a pseudoaneurysm of the aorta as a complication of thoracic or pleural hydatidosis is exceptional. We report a rare case of a 39-year-old male patient from endemic rural area, followed for pleural hydatidosis who presented in the emergency department with chest pain and hemoptysis. Computed tomography angiogram (CTA) revealed a pseudoaneurysm of the aortic isthmus adjacent to a pleural hydatid cyst, associated with pulmonary fistulization and vertebral erosion. Emergency surgical management was attempted; however, the patient died intraoperatively due to refractory hemodynamic instability. This case highlights the importance of cross-sectional imaging in diagnosing vascular complications of hydatid disease.

Key words: Pseudoaneurysm, Hydatic cyst, computed tomography angiogram