title: Non-surgical management in 336 patients of hydatid disease: 23 years experience at Riyadh Military Hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with hydatid cysts (336) were studied at Riyadh Military Hospital, Saudi Arabia, between February 1985-June 2008, out of which 254 patients underwent non-surgical management and 82 patients had surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Drug therapy was administered to 194 of 254 patients: albendazole was administered in 65 patients; (albendazole+praziquantel) in 129 patients; 12 patients had endoscopic management; 48 patients had Percutaneous-Aspiration-Injection-Reaspiration (PAIR) and 82 patients had surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 65 patients, 34 had completed albendazole of which 12 (35%), had cyst disappearance, 8 patients had partial cyst reduction, 12 had no response and were referred for combined therapy or PAIR; 66 patients with cysts in different organs completed the study using albendazole+praziquantel, in 50% of these cysts had disappeared and 16 (24%) observed reduction of cysts; 48 patients underwent PAIR, of which in 36 cysts (66.66%) disappeared; 82 patients had surgery and 20% had post-surgical complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A great advance recently has happened in the non-surgical management of hydatid cysts including medical, PAIR and endoscopic management, which has led to a significant reduction in the need for surgical intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Military Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. dr.elshiekh@gmail.com
authors.forename: Abdulrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Sheikh
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al Malki
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: El Shiekh
authors.forename: Abdulrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al Robayan
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006772:Hospitals, Military; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012529:Saudi Arabia
chemical_list: D011223:Praziquantel; D015766:Albendazole