Hydatid cysts in the liver.
A 67-year-old Taiwanese woman with multilocular hydatid cysts of the liver presented with a 5-month history of intermittent right upper abdominal discomfort. Abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography showed multiple cysts in both lobes of the liver. Subsequent selective celiac angiography revealed an avascular space-occupying lesion in the right lobe. She underwent a radical excision of the cyst by total closed (without opening the wall) cystopericystectomy over segments 4, 5 and 6. Histologic study of the lesions showed three structural components: 1) an outer acellular laminated membrane, 2) a thin nucleated germinal membrane and 3) several protoscolices with Echinococcus granulosus suckers. The patient has been well for 5 years since her discharge. Although hydatid cysts of the liver are extremely rare in Taiwan, they may cause life-threatening complications and mortality. Making a preoperative diagnosis is important and is only possible if this rare disease is kept in mind.
Young
T H
TH
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei.
Hsieh
T Y
TY
Liu
Y C
YC
Chao
Y C
YC
Hsu
C T
CT
Lee
H S
HS
Tang
H S
HS
D000368:Aged; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000469:parasitology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography