title: Spontaneous intraperitoneal rupture of a hepatic hydatid cyst.
abstract: Hydatid cysts, which are endemic to certain areas, typically are found in the liver. Spontaneous intraperitoneal rupture, which can be life threatening, is rare. This article presents a case of spontaneous rupture of a hydatid cyst in a 69-year-old woman who was admitted to the emergency department. The patient had no history of trauma. Abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography suggested rupture of a hydatid cyst. The patient underwent a partial cystectomy, and the cystic area was washed with hypertonic saline and the peritoneal cavity was washed with isotonic saline and drained. Postoperatively, the patient was treated with albendazole for 3 months. No additional pathology was observed at the 3-, 6-, and 9-month follow-ups. Although rare, a ruptured hydatid cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis of the acute abdomen in a patient residing in an endemic area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey. zulfuarikanoglu@gmail.com
authors.forename: Zulfu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Arikanoglu
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taskesen
authors.forename: İbrahim
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Aliosmanoğlu
authors.forename: Mesut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gul
authors.forename: Mehmet Guli
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Cetincakmak
authors.forename: Akin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Onder
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kapan
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000601:surgery