Surgical management of splenic echinococcal disease

Infection of the spleen with echinococcus is a rare clinical entity. Because the diagnosis of a splenic infestation with echinococcus is sometimes delayed, large hydatid cysts or pseudotumors may develop, demanding a differential surgical approach to cure the disease.

In a retrospective study 10 patients out of 250 with abdominal echinococcosis (4%) were identified to have splenic infestation, either limited to the spleen (n=4) or with synchronous involvement of the liver (n=4), major omentum (n=1), or the liver and lung (n=1). Only one patient had alveolar echinococcosis whereas the others showed hydatid cysts of the spleen. Surgical therapy included splenectomy in 7 patients or partial cyst excision combined with omentoplasty in 3 patients. In case of liver involvement, pericystectomy was carried out simultaneously.

There was no mortality. Postoperative complications were observed in 4 patients. Hospital stay and morbidity were not influenced when splenic procedures were combined with pericystectomies of the liver. Mean follow-up was 8.8 years and all of the patients are free of recurrence at this time.

Splenectomy should be the preferred treatment of hydatid cysts but partial cystectomy is suitable when the cysts are located at the margins of the spleen. Due to low morbidity rates, simultaneous treatment of splenic and liver hydatid cysts is recommended.