[Opisthorchiasis of the liver]

The authors discuss 34 patients with opisthorchiasis cysts of the liver, 17 of them were treated by operation. The disease is not a rare occurrence in endemic foci. Ultrasonography is considered to be the most informative method in the diagnosis of opisthorchiasis hepatic cysts. Patients with cysts of moderate and large size (more than 5 cm) are subjected to surgery. Those with cysts of a small diameter are kept under dynamic observation. It is claimed that in untreated opisthorchiasis additional drainage of the biliary tract during the operation is expedient. Opisthorchiasis cysts of the liver possess characteristic morphological signs; the wall of the cyst is usually formed by the walls of the distended bile ducts with marked adenomatous growths of the epithelium. The authors show the late-term results of surgery in follow-up periods of 2 to 11 years, which they claim to be quite satisfactory.