Albendazole in the conservative management of multiple hydatid disease

Hydatid disease is quite common in Greece and is routinely treated by surgery. Nevertheless, multiple cysts constitute a difficult problem for treatment. Patients with multiple cysts have already undergone several operations, and their general condition may be poor. We investigated the effect of albendazole [a drug not FDA approved in the US], in the conservative management of multiple hydatid disease in 44 patients with a high antiechinococcal antibody titer who had already undergone two or three operations for the disease (21 men, mean age 51.05; 24 women, mean age 53.42). Albendazole was administered daily in a 10 mg/kg dose for 5 months to 33 patients and for 2 months to 11 patients. Cysts disappeared in 5 patients and decreased in size in 12 patients. Side effects included allergic shock (1 patient), reversible increase in SGOT and SGPT (3 patients), reversible fever and fall in leukocyte number (1 patient). We conclude that surgery remains the treatment of choice for this condition and that albendazole may have a place in the elimination of recurrence of the disease.