Hydatid disease: a 2 years retrospective study in a tertiary care center in South India

Abstract

Background: Hydatid disease (HD) is a common parasitic zoonosis and its mortality, morbidity, and socioeconomic burden makes it a significant public health problem. Though a primary disease of liver (55-70%) followed by the lung (18-35%) it is now found to affect various other organs like spleen, kidney, peritoneal cavity, skin and muscles (2%) heart, brain, vertebral column, ovaries, pancreas, gallbladder, thyroid gland, breast, and bones (1%). This study is done to describe the spectrum of presentation of hydatid disease in India. Author also discuss the rare cases of soft tissue and bone hydatid disease and peritoneal hydatid disease in this study.Methods: It was a retrospective observational study done in a tertiary care center in India. Data was collected from patients admitted with diagnosis of hydatid disease from the patient data files and included patient profile, area of residence, occupation, history of exposure to farm animals or dogs, investigation findings and management given. Special emphasis was given to cases of extrahepatic hydatid disease and their management. The collected data was tabulated.Results: Author found 17 cases of documented hydatid disease in the two years period. This included 11 case of hepatic hydatid disease and 6 cases of extrahepatic disease with unusual locations of bone and soft tissue, lung and parietal peritoneum. The majority of patients were in the age group of 30-50 yrs with history of exposure to sheep and farm animals. All patients received 4-6 weeks of 15mg/kg/day albendazole preoperatively. Five patients showed regression in size of the cyst and were hence continued on medical management.Conclusions: The remaining patients underwent surgical drainage procedure. Albendazole was continued post operatively for next 6 months.