Hydatid Cyst of the Spine: A Rare Case Report and Review of Literature

Hydatid disease is caused by the parasite Echinococcus granulosus which is also known as the dog tapeworm. This disease is a relatively uncommon cause of spinal cord and dural compression.

We came across a peculiar case in a 41-year-old male patient who presented to us with pus discharge from a surgical wound over lower back for 10 days. The patient was a diagnosed as a case of lumbar canal stenosis with recurrent hydatid cyst. The patient had neurological involvement in the form of left-sided foot drop. The patient gave a history of lumbar canal stenosis secondary to hydatid cyst, for which decompression and cyst excision were done 3 years prior. The patient was re-operated in the form of wound debridement with removal of hydatid cyst.

Meticulous surgery avoiding spillage of cyst material, appropriate medication as advised by the infectious disease specialist, will avoid recurrence of the disease.