HYDATID CYST DISEASE IN THE LEFT LATERAL NECK: AN UNCOMMON PRESENTATION

Cysts commonly occurring in the neck include thyroglossal cyst and dermoid cysts in the midline, cystic thyroid nodules, branchial cysts and cystic Hygroma in the lateral neck. Hydatid cyst disease is commonly seen in the right lobe of the liver, the lung and rarely in other parts of the body. In general, cysts in the neck are not common in the second decade of life. In this article, we present a case of hydatid cyst presenting as left lateral cystic mass in an Ethiopian boy. The diagnostic difficulty, the need for diagnostic suspicion and consideration of hydatid cyst in the differential diagnosis and the management options are discussed.