title: Hydatid cyst of the liver: spontaneous rupture with peritoneal and thoracic involvement. Report of a case.
abstract: Hydatidosis due to Echinococcus granulosus is an endemic parasitic disease in Mediterranean countries. The most frequent anatomical locations are the liver and lung and the most significant complication of liver hydatidosis is rupture into the biliary tract. Spontaneous rupture into the free peritoneal cavity associated with thoracic involvement is an unusual complication accompanied by a high mortality rate. An isolated abdominal approach is necessary when peritoneal cavity drainage is required and may be sufficient in cases of contamination of the pleural cavity by scolices without suppurative involvement. An unusual case of spontaneous rupture of a hydatid cyst of the liver into the free peritoneal cavity associated with diaphragmatic and pleural involvement is reported. This complication requires immediate surgical treatment consisting in a combined thoracic and abdominal approach. The isolated abdominal approach not requiring thoracotomy may be satisfactory if there is no intrathoracic damage due to the chronic presence of scolices. Intrabdominal and intrathoracic cyst rupture still remains a serious complication because of the complexity of the lesions which are often difficult to treat in a one-stage operation. The mortality remains high in various series.
authors: Dipartimento di Chirurgia, Struttura Semplice Chirurgia di Urgenza, Azienda Ospedaliera "Ospedale Santa Corona", Pietra Ligure, Savona.
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Pasqualini
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Percivale
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Gandini
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Baldo
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Saccomani
authors: Franco
authors: F
authors: Giusto
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Profeti
authors: Pietro
authors: P
authors: Santoro
authors: Riccardo
authors: R
authors: Pellicci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004322:Drainage; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D013896:Thoracic Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D013909:Thorax; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography