title: Hydatid disease of the liver in children.
abstract: Between 1986 and 1997, 21 children (ten boys and 11 girls) had surgery for hydatid disease of the liver. Their mean age was 6.5 years (range 3-12). Abdominal distention with a mass was the commonest presenting symptom (71.4%), followed by abdominal pain (38%). Hepatomegaly with a palpable mass was present in 12 (57%). Three children had concomitant pulmonary and brain hydatid disease. The diagnosis was established clinically and by skin testing, serology and imaging techniques. All patients received a pre-operative course of mebendazole (50 mg/kg/day) for between 1 and 8 weeks. At surgery, 11 children had a single cyst, eight of which were in the right lobe of the liver. Ten children had multiple cysts occupying both liver lobes. Three forms of surgical treatment were used: capitonnage + partial excision of fibrous capsule; total excision of the cyst; and external drainage of the cyst cavity. Three children required re-operation. Mean follow-up time was 24 months. There were no deaths, but five children developed post-operative complications. Surgical treatment in the form of primary closure of the cyst cavity without drainage seems to offer the best therapeutic option for patients with large hydatid cysts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: al-Bassam
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hassab
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: al-Olayet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shadi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: al-Shami
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: al-Rabeeah
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jawad
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed