title: Disseminated intraspinal hydatid disease.
abstract: Spinal echinococcosis is a rare entity, accounting for 1% of all cases of hydatid disease. The authors report the case of a 60-year-old man whom they treated for recurrent nerve root compression due to disseminated intraspinal echinococcosis (hydatid disease). Six years previously he had undergone surgery on an emergency basis at another institution after presenting with acute paraplegia due to a primary extradural hydatid cyst of the thoracic spine. Unfortunately, during surgical removal of the cysts, the echinococcosis disseminated into the spinal canal. This complication was documented by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. In the 4 years before the authors treated him, he was hospitalized 4 times for 4 recurrences of nerve root compression. The authors treated the disseminated disease successfully with total T7-8 corpectomy, grafting with titanium cage and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital instrumentation, and long-term administration of albendazole (400 mg daily). Early diagnosis, proper utilization of MR imaging, and radical resection of diseased vertebrae and soft tissues followed by anthelmintic treatment are essential to control disseminated spinal hydatidosis and prevent recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hazrat Rasoul Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Niyayesh Street, Sattar Khan Avenue, Tehran, Iran. yasharpop@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Yashar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moharamzad
authors.forename: Homayoun Hadizadeh
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kharazi
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shobeiri
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Farzanegan
authors.forename: Forough
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hashemi
authors.forename: Abed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Namavari
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000469:parasitology; D012008:Recurrence; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000469:parasitology*; D014025:Titanium
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D014025:Titanium; D015766:Albendazole