THE Heart, Chest and Vascular Surgery Department of Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College (PtJNMMC) and Dr B R Ambedkar Memorial Hospital (BRAMH) has set a record with the first-of-its-kind surgery of Mediastinal Hydated Cyst in State. Head of the Heart, Chest and Vascular Surgery Department Dr Krishnakant Sahu performed the critical surgery successfully. The patient, a 22-year old youth from Balod district was suffering from light cough and pain in the chest area for last two years. He generally consulted a local physical and prescribed cough syrup. However, the problem got aggravated with constant pain, breathing problem and unable to talk properly for last two months.

Later, the young patient informed his sister who is working as Nursing In-charge Sister at BRAMH. Later, a x-ray was done which indicated of the cyst above the heart and consulted Dr Krishnakant Sahu over the finding. However, a third grade cancer tomour was detected over the heart in a CT Scan. Later, Dr Sahu suggested for a CT Guided Biopsy which was unable to detect the type of cancer.

Though the problem was still confusing, Dr Krishnakant Sahu said that after having breathing problem it was

decided for operation without wasting any further time. However, this operation was very different from other Hydated Cyst and it was not clear whether the problem was Hydated Cyst instead of cancer. The cyst affected aorta, left pulmonary artery and the left trachea, and any lapse would have resulted in the survival of patient. Dr Sahu said that after the operation is was detected that the patient was having Mediastinal Hydated Cyst that is generally formed from the worms of dogs. This worm ‘Echinococcus Granulosus’ is generally found in the fetus of dogs which enters human body through different means with 70 to 80 per chances of infecting the liver or 20 per chances of cyst in lungs or even reaching the heart. In the case of the current patient, the worm reached the upper layer of heart, which is very rare, but very serious for being in the delicate position of the body, Dr Sahu added. The patient has already recovered after the operation and discharged from the hospital.