Surgical treatment of pulmonary hydatid cysts in children.
OBJECTIVE
Hydatid disease is a parasitosis and endemic in many sheepraising areas; it is still an important health problem in Turkey. We report our experience with childhood hydatid cyst and discuss the concepts of treatment.


METHODS
The clinical courses of 128 children with thoracic and liver hydatid cyst operated on from 1994 to 2000 were reviewed. The group consisted of 71 boys and 57 girls aged from 8 months to 16 years. Intact cysts were found in 144 patients and ruptured cysts in 68.


RESULTS
In the postoperative course we have encountered 20 perioperative complications in 16 patients. The most common complication was residual pleural space and delayed air leakage, which occurred in 9 patients. There was no early death.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgery is the treatment of choice for most patients with pulmonary hydatid disease. The aim of surgery is evacuation of the cyst, removal of the endocyst, and management of the residual cavity. Conservative surgical methods that preserve lung parenchyma should be preferred.
Topçu
S
S
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Atatürk Center for Chest Disease and Thoracic Surgery, Ankara, Turkey.
Kurul
I C
IC
Taştepe
I
I
Bozkurt
D
D
Gülhan
E
E
Cetin
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000465:Algorithms; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003663:Decision Trees; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000150:complications; D004445:Echinococcosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology