Uncommon sites of hydatid disease

Echinococcosis remains an endemic surgical problem in many Mediterranean countries. We report our experience with such cases when the disease is located in uncommon sites, outside the liver and lungs. This study was an effort similar to a previous one but with more cases and additional information. Between 1967 and 1994 a total of 49 patients suffering from hydatid cysts located in various organs other than the liver and lungs presented to our clinic. There were 28 men and 21 women, with their ages ranging from 10 to 66 years and 22 to 80 years, respectively. Among these patients, 25 had the parasitic cyst in the peritoneal cavity, 10 in the spleen, 5 in the kidney, 3 in the spinal column, 2 in the retroperitoneal space, 1 in the abdominal wall, 1 in the myocardium, 1 in the thoracic wall, and 1 in the thigh. Their hospital stay was 9 to 88 days (average 27 days). Only two patients--one with cardiac hydatidosis and one with spinal hydatidosis--died postoperatively. Three patients with multiple cysts in the peritoneum and one with cysts in the thigh had recurrences of the disease and were reoperated successfully.