Unusual localizations of hydatid disease

Hydatid disease is endemic in several Mediterranean countries, posing an important health problem for these countries. The hydatid cyst is characterized by cystic lesions with clear boundaries, which can be observed in all parts of the body. Approximately 70 % of hydatid cysts are situated in the liver, followed by the lung (25 %). The kidneys, spleen, bile ducts, mesentery, soft tissue and brain are less frequent sites. We investigated patients who were treated for hydatid disease in our departments in the last 5 years with respect to localization of the disease, symptoms, surgical intervention, length of hospitalization, diameters of the cyst, and classification by Gharbi. In this retrospective and descriptive study, 176 patients are evaluated who were treated for hydatid disease between 1995 and 1999 in our departments. Of these patients, 14 were included with localization other than in the liver and lungs. Fourteen of the patients diagnosed with unusually located hydatid disease were men, six were women. Their mean age was 41.6 +/- 20.8 years; the length of hospital stay was 7.07 +/- 0.4 days. Overall, 28.6 % of patients with unusually located hydatid cyst had recurrent disease. The time period since last cyst operation was 5.25 +/- 3.5 years. The mean cyst diameter was 96.5 +/- 54.5 mm. According to Gharbi's classification, three cases (21.4 %) of the unusually located hydatid cysts were type I, two (14.3 %) type II, and eight (57.1 %) type III. There was only one case of type IV and no cases of type V. Spleen and kidneys are the organs where hydatid disease is most frequently observed after the liver and lung. It can be observed in all parts of the body including the brain, peritoneum, mesenterium, choledochus, pancreas, bone and muscles. The type of treatment is determined by the localization and type of hydatid disease. Surgical treatment for splenic hydatid cysts is splenectomy. The functional kidney should be saved in non-communicable hydatid disease. Total excision is almost never possible; endocystectomy and drainage procedure should be preferred for hydatid disease of the brain, pancreas and choledochus. Chemotherapy is usually given because of the risk of recurrence; this medical treatment consists in albendazole and mebendazole administration for 3-6 months in the postoperative period.