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Hydatid cysts of the brain
Mumtaz Ali1, Khalid Mahmood, Pervez Khan
1Department of Neurosurgery, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan.
Journal of Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad : JAMC
|October 9, 2010
Summary
Cranial hydatidosis, a rare brain infection caused by Echinococcus granulosus, predominantly affects children. Surgical excision using the pericystic hydraulic method offers a safe and effective treatment with low morbidity and mortality.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Infectious Diseases
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Brain hydatid disease, caused by Echinococcus granulosus, accounts for 1-2% of infections.
- Cerebral hydatid cysts are typically supratentorial; infratentorial lesions are rare.
- This study focuses on the clinical presentation and surgical outcomes of cranial hydatidosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the clinical presentation of cranial hydatidosis.
- To evaluate the surgical outcomes for patients with intracranial hydatidosis.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 21 surgically treated intracranial hydatidosis cases (2000-2007).
- Diagnosis confirmed via CT/MRI, serological, and hematological tests.
- Surgical excision using the pericystic hydraulic method was the sole treatment.
Main Results:
- The study included 21 pediatric patients (age 3-14 years), with a 1:1.3 male to female ratio.
- Common symptoms included headache, vomiting, and papilledema; seizures occurred in 16 patients.
- Complete surgical removal was achieved in all cases with no mortality and minimal intraoperative morbidity (one cyst rupture).
Conclusions:
- Brain hydatid cyst presents as an intracranial space-occupying lesion, predominantly in children.
- Surgery is the primary treatment modality for cranial hydatidosis.
- The pericystic hydraulic method provides a safe surgical option with low morbidity and mortality.
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