title: Surgical treatment of liver hydatid cysts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The surgical treatment technique for liver hydatic cyst (LHC) cannot be standardized, and the surgical technique should be tailored according to the extent of the cyst and any adjunct complications of hydatid disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients were treated with albendazole (10 mg/kg/day) for 15 days preoperatively. Total pericystectomy was performed in three patients (7%). Partial cystectomy and its modifications were performed in the remaining 41 patients (93%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 44 patients were operated on for LHC between December 1998 and October 2004 in our center. Patients were evaluated with ultrasonography and computed tomography scan to determine the extent of the disease and preoperative staging. Twenty-four (53%) of these patients were women and 20 were men (median age, 52.5 years; range, 19-81 years). The majority of patients (n=27) had 1 cyst, and the remaining 17 patients had multiple cysts. In four patients (9.1%), daughter cysts were found in the biliary system, and abscesses were present in three patients (7%). Biliary fistula was the most frequent complication (n=5). Three patients had wound infections. Follow-up was complete for 33 patients (75%). The mean postoperative follow-up was 11.9+/-10.8 months; there were four recurrences during this time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The aim should be to provide complete drainage and obliteration of the cavity. Bile leak and biliary obstruction may complicate the postoperative course if bile leakage into the peritoneal cavity and obstruction in the biliary system are missed.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Teaching and Medical Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey. ezerali@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ezer
authors.forename: Tarik Zafer
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Nursal
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moray
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Feza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karakayali
authors.forename: Turgut
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noyan
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haberal