Treatment of hydatid cyst and bilio-bronchial and bilio-pleuro-bronchial fistulas via thoracotomy and transdiafragmal approach from October 2005 to October 2012 in a single unit in Tirana, Albania

Methods From October 2005 to October 2012, 13 cases were observed in the same center. Biliptysis was the main symptom in 80% of cases. The diagnosis was based on chest radiography ,thoracic and abdominal CT and abdominal ultrasonography, fibrobronchoscopy; all examinations visualised the cyst, intrathoracic collections, a diaphragmatic breach and biliary lesions. All patients were treated by one-stage thoracotomy. The procedures consisted of lung resection (lobectomy and/ or segmentectomy) (n = 11) and decortication (n = 6) in the chest, cyst dome resection (n=13) or part pericystectomy (n = 2) in the abdomen and suture and plastic of the diaphragmatic defect in all cases after hepatodiaphragmatic deconnection. An additional laparotomy was not necessary in all cases.