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Pulmonary hydatidosis in childhood. Review of 21 cases
J Zapatero1, R Penalver, J Lago
1Thoracic Surgery Department Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain.
Insights
Hydatidosis is common in Spanish children, with thoracic surgery cases showing frequent cough and pain. Surgical removal of hydatid cysts proved effective, with no recurrences observed in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Infectious Diseases
- Parasitology
Background:
- Hydatidosis, a parasitic infection, presents a significant health concern, particularly in children within high-incidence regions like Spain.
- Pediatric cases of hydatidosis requiring thoracic surgery represent a notable proportion of overall surgical interventions for this condition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the clinical characteristics, diagnostic methods, and surgical outcomes of pediatric hydatidosis cases treated over a decade.
- To evaluate the efficacy of cystopericystectomy in managing thoracic hydatidosis in children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 21 pediatric patients (under 14 years) undergoing surgery for thoracic hydatidosis.
- Analysis of clinical presentation, cyst characteristics (unruptured/ruptured ratio, cyst count), diagnostic tests (IgE, histamine liberation), surgical procedures, and follow-up data.
Main Results:
- Children accounted for 16.8% of all thoracic hydatidosis surgeries, with cough and pain as primary symptoms.
- An average of 2.62 cysts per patient was observed, with a higher ratio of unruptured to ruptured cysts (3/1) compared to adults.
- Specific immunoglobulin E and histamine liberation tests were valuable diagnostic tools.
Conclusions:
- Thoracic hydatidosis in children presents unique characteristics compared to adults, necessitating specific diagnostic and surgical approaches.
- Cystopericystectomy with complete parasite removal is an effective surgical technique, achieving favorable outcomes with no recurrence in this pediatric cohort.
Abstract:
Spain is one of the countries with a very high incidence of hydatidosis in the childhood. It represents 16.8% of all cases intervened for thoracic surgery for hydatidosis cysts in our department during the last ten years with a total of 21 children (inferior to 14 years) operated due to hydatidosis. Cough and pain were the symptoms more frequently encountered. The ratio unruptured/ruptured cysts was 3/1, higher than in the adults, with an average of 2.62 cysts per patient. Specific immunoglobulin E and histamine liberation test were the most useful tests in the laboratory. The usual surgical technique was a cystopericystectomy with total extirpation of the parasite of its rests. No recurrence was found in the follow-up of our patients.