Extended lateral orbitotomy, an effective procedure to excise large orbital hydatid cyst: A rare case

Abstract

Echinococcosis is an infection of humans by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, Echinococcus multilocularis or Echinococcus vogeli. Orbital hydatid cyst is extremely rare and has an incidence of 1% of all the hydatid cysts. We report a case of a 6-year-old boy presenting with a large orbital hydatid cyst causing abaxial proptosis with compressive optic neuropathy and a cyst in the liver. The cyst was successfully removed from the orbit through a combined anterio-superior trans-periosteal lateral orbitotomy. Following surgery, there was immediate reduction of proptosis and healing of exposure keratopathy. The role of computerized tomography (CT) scan in early diagnosis and advantages of the lateral orbitotomy approach are discussed.