[Effect of thermochemotherapy on alveolar hydatid disease of the liver]

The specific aim of this study is to predict the possibility of local hyperthermia as a therapeutic modality for Echinococcus multilocularis of the liver. We used Meriones Unguiculatus, into which larval E. multiocularis, Alaska strain, was innoculated. In the experiments of hyperthermia by low output laser for either innoculated liver lesions or the normal liver tissues, the protoscoleces and the germinal layers are destroyed at 41 degrees C for 15 minutes, and normal hepatocytes irreversibly destroyed at 45 to 46 degrees for 15 minutes. Next we tried either thermotherapy, chemotherapy, or a combination therapy of hyperthermia and chemotherapy for innoculated subcutaneous lesions for 4 weeks; hyperthermia was produced by means of a 43 degrees C water bath for 20 minutes a day, 6 times a week. Chemotherapy by 30 mg/kg/day of Albendazole given orally on day 1 through day 5 every week. Proliferation of the lesions of E. multilocularis was significantly suppressed in all treated groups compared to the control group which received none of the treatments during the study period. Histological examination demonstrated that the protoscoleces and the germinal layers can be destroyed in either treatment. From the results, it is concluded that hyperthermia may be an effective therapeutic modality for alveolar hydatid disease of the liver.