A rare lesion that mimics a bone tumor: Osseous hydatidosis

This study aims to evaluate the symptoms, skeletal manifestations, and management of patients with tumor-like osseous hydatidosis treated in our oncology clinic in the long term and to share our clinical experience with this extremely rare disease.

Between December 2010 and May 2019, a total of 11 patients (6 males, 5 females; mean age: 45.1±13 years; range, 22 to 70 years) who were treated with a bone hydatid cyst (HC) and followed were retrospectively analyzed. Epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic data of the patients with long-term follow-up were collected.

The mean follow-up was 63.2±23.9 (range, 24 to 101) months. The most common site of bone hydatidosis was the femur in four (36%) patients. The most common clinical presentation was pain in seven (63.6%) patients. Two (18.2%) patients had a pathological fracture of the femur. It was detected incidentally in two patients. Contact history was present in two patients (with dog), and two (18.2%) patients had concomitant extraosseous cystic echinococcosis in the liver. Complete blood count analysis was performed in all patients and eosinophilia was positive in three (27.3%) patients. As treatment, curettage cementation was performed in nine (81%) patients (internal fixation was also applied to five of them), while wide resection and prosthesis were applied to two (18.2%) patients.

The diagnosis of osseous hydatidosis is difficult and the prognosis is often poor. This entity should be kept in mind for the differential diagnosis of the cystic or tumoral lesions of the bone.