title: Laparoscopic pericystectomy for liver hydatid cysts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The laparoscopic approach for managing of liver echinococcosis is a controversial issue because of scarce experience worldwide. The aim of this report is to describe the technical details of our laparoscopic method and present our results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive cases of liver echinococcosis managed by laparoscopic surgery are reported. Thoracic x-ray and abdominal ultrasound had been performed previously. The following aspects were considered as selection criteria: unique cyst located in segments III, IV, V, VI, and VIII; diameter less than 7 cm; and no evidence of infection or calcification. An evacuating puncture was performed, germinative membrane removed, and pericystectomy performed, which extirpated the pericystic structure with the surrounding liver parenchyma. Specimens were removed in a plastic bag through one of the ports. Surgical morbidity, hospital stay, time until return to work, and evidences of hydatid recurrence were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Surgery was performed on eight patients (5 women and 3 men) with a mean age of 44.9 years (range, 22-83 years) who had a liver hydatid cyst with a mean diameter of 6.6 cm (range, 5-7 cm). During a mean follow-up period of 30 months (range, 23-44 months), no morbidity or hydatid recurrence were verified. Hospital stay was 2 days in all cases, and return to work was within 15 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This laparoscopic technique, applied with selective criteria, can be a useful alternative for treating patients with liver hydatidosis because its results are comparable with those for open surgery studies involving similar follow-up time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hospital Regional de Temuco and Universidad de la Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco, Chile. cmantero@ufro.cl
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Manterola
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vial
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Losada
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carrasco
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bello
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barroso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies