Unusual sites for primary hydatid cysts: self experience with five cases

Hydatid disease is a zoonotic disease caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. It is common in the sheep-raising countries including Iraq. The usual site for involvement is the liver, followed by the lungs. Other sites may be affected less commonly and require a high index of suspicion for diagnosis. We present our experience with five cases of unusual sites of primary hydatid cyst, including the pancreas, the abdominal wall, the spleen, the back and the thigh. Three patients were females and two patients were males; their ages were between 15 and 39 years. All the patients were operated at our centre, and after a period of follow-up ranging between 2 and 6 years, there was no reported recurrence in any of the patients, neither at the primary site nor at other sites.