Surgical treatment of hepatic hydatid disease in children

Fifty-one patients were operated on because of hydatid disease of the liver from 1980-1990. There were 29 male and 22 female patients with a mean age of 10 years (range 3 to 15 years). Thirty-two cysts were located in the right lobe, 6 were in the left lobe and 13 were bilateral. Introflexion was carried out in 27 patients, omentoplasty in 12, marsupialization in 8, capitonnage in 3 and total cystectomy in one patient. There were no deaths. Postoperative morbidity and mean postoperative stay were the lowest in patients treated by introflexion. We concluded that introflexion is a safe and valid surgical technique for patients with hydatid liver disease.