Hydatid Cysts in Children

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Hydatid disease is a parasitic infection caused by a parasite, echinococcus granulosus, characterized by cystic lesion in the liver, lungs and rarely in other parts of the body. Yemen is a highly endemic area for hydatid disease, especially in the northern areas with sheep raising. Prevention is the main method for eradication but still having its limitations. Surgery is the cornerstone of management of pulmonary hydatid cysts and aims to remove hydatid cysts or its remnants and obliterate the residual cavity. The aim of this study is to identify the optimum and safe way for treating children having pulmonary hydatid cysts and living in the highly endemic areas with the least possible complications. This study included characteristics on presentation, investigation and operative techniques and postoperative morbidity and mortality in a group of patients with pulmonary hydatid cysts. Materials & Methods: Hydatid disease is a parasitic infection caused by a parasite, echinococcus granulosus, characterized by cystic lesion in the liver, lungs and rarely in other parts of the body. Yemen is a highly endemic area for hydatid disease, especially in the northern areas with sheep raising. Prevention is the main method for eradication but still having its limitations. Surgery is the cornerstone of management of pulmonary hydatid cysts and aims to remove hydatid cysts or its remnants and obliterate the residual cavity. The aim of this study is to identify the optimum and safe way for treating children having pulmonary hydatid cysts and living in the highly endemic areas with the least possible complications. This study included characteristics on presentation, investigation and operative techniques and postoperative morbidity and mortality in a group of patients with pulmonary hydatid cysts. Results: fifteen patients with ages less than 6 years had cysts with a mean size of 14cm, ten patients with ages from 6-11 years had cysts with a mean size of 8.5cm and the last five patients with ages from 11-16 years had cysts with a mean size of 7.5 cm. Three patients had prolonged air leak for more than 2 weeks, and 3 patient developed empyema. No recurrence happened during one year follow-up. There were mortality. Conclusion: the optimum approach for management of such children having pulmonary hydatid disease and living in highly endemic areas with limited facilities, especially the lack of postoperative intensive care unit is complete excision of the cysts whenever possible with maximum conservation of lung tissue.

Index Word: Pulmonary hydatid cysts, optimum management children.