title: Pelvic hydatid (echinococcal) disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study epidemiologic and clinical features of pelvic hydatid disease and discuss its management.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of 11 cases of pelvic hydatid disease managed over 7 years and 8 months at the Maternity and Neonatalogy Unit, Tunisian Medical Center La Rabta, Tunis, Tunisia. All cases were identified from histopathologic reports.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 11 affected patients had a mean age of 41.6years (range, 22-79 years), 6 had a history of surgery for hydatid disease, 8 presented for chronic pelvic pain, and 1 was admitted for acute surgical abdomen. On physical examination, 6 had a pelvic mass. An ultrasound examination suggested the diagnosis preoperatively in 6. All were treated surgically. Primary laparoscopy was performed in 5 patients. Unroofing (or partial cystectomy) was performed in 6 patients and complete cystectomy in 4. The postoperative course was uneventful in all cases. Recurrence occurred only in 1 patient, 6 months after initial surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pelvic hydatid disease is rare and its diagnosis often difficult preoperatively. The treatment mainstay is surgery. The laparoscopic approach seems to be safe and effective, and may increasingly replace laparotomy.
authors.affiliation: Department A of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Maternity and Neonatology, Tunisian Medical Center La Rabta, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Dalenda
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chelli
authors.forename: Ahlem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Methni
authors.forename: Chaima
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gatri
authors.forename: Fethia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boudaya
authors.forename: Malika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Affes
authors.forename: Mohamed Bedis
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Chennoufi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D034161:Pelvic Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult