Pleuropulmonary hydatid disease treated with thoracoscopic instillation of hypertonic saline

Hydatid disease is caused by the larval stage of the cestode, Echinococcus granulosus. Man is the intermediate host in its life cycle. The most common organ involved is liver followed by lung. Although surgery remains the definitive treatment for symptomatic lesions, it is associated with considerable morbidity. Other less invasive treatment strategies as an adjunct to medical treatment that have been tried in various case series include percutaneous aspiration, instillation and reaspiration of scolicidal agents (PAIR), and thoracoscopic removal of cysts located subpleurally. Here we report the case of a 58 year old gentleman with hepatic and pleuropulmonary hydatid disease who was subjected to medical thoracoscopy and instillation of hypertonic saline (3%), followed by medical management with albendazole with which complete resolution of the pulmonary cysts was achieved.