Surgical treatment of intrathoracic hydatid disease: a 5-year experience in an endemic region.
OBJECTIVE
To present our recent surgical experience in treating patients with intrathoracic hydatidosis.


METHODS
This study reviewed the files of patients with pulmonary/intrathoracic extrapulmonary hydatid cysts treated surgically between 2003 and 2009. Demographic, laboratory and radiological data, clinical manifestations, site of the cyst, surgical approaches, and final outcome were noted and analyzed.


RESULTS
Forty patients underwent 42 operations (21 females, 19 males, mean age 36 years). Thirty-six patients (90%) had pulmonary (56.7% were intact/uncomplicated), three (7.5%) had intrathoracic extrapulmonary, and one (2.5%) had both pulmonary/intrathoracic extrapulmonary hydatid cysts. The right lung was involved in 64.9%. Larger pulmonary cysts ruptured more commonly (P = 0.007). Most patients (95%) were symptomatic, mostly dyspneic (72.5%). The mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s value was significantly reduced in cases with a large (P < 0.0001), or ruptured cyst (P = 0.05). The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was elevated in case of rupture (P = 0.05). A thoracotomy was performed for all patients. A cystotomy and capitonnage was performed more commonly than cystotomy without capitonnage for the pulmonary, and total excision was performed for the intrathoracic extrapulmonary hydatid cysts. The mortality was 0% and the morbidity was 17.5%. All patients received antihelminthic therapy postoperatively. There was no recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgery is considered to be the optimal treatment for intrathoracic hydatid disease. In addition, recurrence is very low when all such patients receive postoperative antihelminthic therapy.
Ozyurtkan
Mehmet Oğuzhan
MO
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Firat University Medical Faculty, Elaziğ, 23100, Turkey.
Balci
Akin Eraslan
AE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002648:Child; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004445:Echinococcosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013896:Thoracic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000601:surgery*; D013908:Thoracotomy; D013997:Time Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D015766:Albendazole