Echinococcal infection of the spine with neural involvement

Hydatid disease due to Taenia echinococcus involves bone in about 1% of all cases. The spine is involved in about 50% of cases. Neural compression is common in the form of paraplegia or nerve root compression. The prognosis with spinal involvement is generally regarded as very poor and often likened to that of spinal cancer. Four cases of spinal hydatid with neural involvement are presented. Three were treated by anterior spinal decompression and all four were treated with mebendazole. The results show good neural recovery and it is concluded that the prognosis is not as dismal as it was formerly thought to be.