title: Live Dirofilaria immitis found during coronary artery bypass grafting procedure.
abstract: Dirofilaria immitis is a parasite transmitted by mosquito bites, where the most common primary hosts are dogs, cats and some wild animals. Humans become accidental hosts after being bitten by an infected mosquito and the number of such infections has rapidly increased during the last decade. We present a patient in which a live D. immitis has been found during myocardial revascularization. To the best of our knowledge, live D. immitis found in the substernal area during open heart surgery has never before been described. D. immitis in humans most often cause pulmonary nodules known as 'coin lesions' which are benign and asymptomatic, but it is very important for thoracic surgery that they are considered in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules. Video assisted thoracic surgery has been proven as the best method for diagnosing and treating pulmonary dirofilariasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Centre Osijek, 'J. J. Strossmayer' University Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Zrinka
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Požgain
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Centre Osijek, 'J. J. Strossmayer' University Osijek, Osijek, Croatia grgurdulic@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Grgur
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dulić
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Centre Osijek, 'J. J. Strossmayer' University Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Krunoslav
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sego
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Centre Osijek, 'J. J. Strossmayer' University Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blažeković
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013249:Sternum / Q000469:parasitology*
keywords: Coronary artery bypass surgery; Dirofilaria; Sternum; VATS