title: Hydatid liver disease: our 25-year experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hydatid disease is a zoonosis caused by Echinococcus spp., which inhabits the intestine of some canines (dog). Humans are accidental intermediate hosts and can accommodate one or more cysts in different locations, mainly the liver and lungs. The standard treatment of hydatid disease has historically been surgical, including conservative and radical procedures. The disease is considered endemic in the area around Hospital Provincial "Domingo Funes," Córdoba, Argentina.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study that included 57 patients diagnosed with hydatid liver disease who were treated surgically from January 1985 to December 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Females represented 50.9% of the subjects with a mean age of 53 years. The main clinical presentation was pain in 56% of patients and palpable mass in 33.3%. In 93% of cases we used ultrasonography as a diagnostic method (100% sensitivity). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was increased in 63%. Total cystectomy was performed on 47.4% of patients. Surgical morbidity was 29.8%. Surgical mortality was zero. The average number of days of hospitalization was 12.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical and epidemiological analysis is the mainstay of diagnosis, supplemented by ultrasound, CT scan and blood tests. We suggest total cystectomy as the first surgical choice, when feasible, due to its lower morbidity/mortality and shorter postoperative hospital stay, according to similar series.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General, Hospital Provincial "Domingo Funes," Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Ministerio de Salud de la Provincia de Córdoba, Argentina. rcubasc@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cubas-Castillo
authors.forename: César Osvaldo
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Brain
authors.forename: Rogelio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: López-Guillemain
authors.forename: Enrique Abel
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ballarino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult