Diagnosis and treatment of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis after liver transplantation

Abstract

As a treatment method for advanced hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (AE),liver transplantation has been gradually performed.One patient with hepatic AE recurrence after liver transplantation was admitted to the Fourth Hospital of PLA in November 2012.The patients received liver transplantation in 2006 for the treatment of hepatic AE.Recurrent lesions were found in the head of the pancreas and the right lung.The patient was also associated with liver dysfunction.Liver function was improved obviously after liver-protective treatment,and continuous albendazole treatment was giving to the patient.Based on a full discussion of the patient,we thought that hepatic AE patients who met the following conditions could receive liver transplantation:(1) Severe hepatic insufficiency.(2) Inability to receive radical liver resection.(3) Absence of extra-hepatic metastasis of AE.Albendazole should be administered for at least 2 years after liver transplantation,and the patient should be monitored for a minimum of 10 years for the prevention of possible recurrence of AE. Key words: Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis ; Liver transplantation ; Recurrence ; Diagnosis ; Treatment