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Brain hydatidosis: report on 117 cases
Insights
Brain hydatid disease, primarily affecting children, requires surgical removal of cysts for effective treatment. Complete cyst extraction is crucial for patient recovery, as medical interventions show limited success.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Parasitology
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Brain hydatid disease is a parasitic infection caused by Echinococcus granulosus.
- It predominantly affects children, with a significant number of cases presenting with intracranial hypertension.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and management of brain hydatid disease.
- To evaluate treatment outcomes and identify factors influencing recovery.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 155 patients with brain hydatid disease hospitalized between 1965 and 1998.
- Review of clinical presentations, neuroimaging findings (CT scans), and treatment modalities.
Main Results:
- The study included 117 children (mean age 7.2 years) with a slight male predominance.
- Intracranial hypertension (75%) was the most common symptom, followed by hemiparesis and epilepsy.
- CT scans showed intra-parenchymal lesions with well-defined margins.
- Surgical removal was the primary treatment, with complete extraction leading to expected recovery.
Conclusions:
- Surgical hydrostatic expulsion is the definitive treatment for cerebral solitary hydatid cysts.
- Medical treatment, including albendazole, has limited efficacy, especially in solitary cases.
- Complete, unruptured cyst extraction is essential for successful patient outcomes.
Abstract:
Among a series of 155 brain hydatid disease patients hospitalized between 1965 and 1998, 117 were children. The mean age was approximately 7.2 years, with a slight male predominance. Eighteen patients presented with another visceral localization. Symptoms and signs of intracranial hypertension are currently encountered (75%) followed by hemiparesis, epilepsy, mental changes, skull deformities and, more rarely, dyskinetic phenomenon. Brain hemispheric localization is the rule, with some exceptions. CT scans reveal an intra-parenchymal lesion with clearly defined, rarely enhanced margins. Medical treatment has virtually no place in the management of cerebral solitary cyst. Albendazole has been used in cases of multiple involvement, with controversial results. Surgical hydrostatic expulsion is the only effective treatment. Recovery is expected when the cyst is extracted completely unruptured.