Hydatid Liver Disease: Single Center Experience

Background: Hydatid cyst is a parasitic infection which is mostly caused by Echinococcus granulosus. This continues to be an essential cause of morbidity and mortality in many parts of the world including Palestine, where it is an important public health problem with increasing Incidence due to globalization. The study was conducted to find out the incidence, presentation and the outcome of management of patients presented with liver hydatid disease in one tertiary center in Palestine. Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis of collected database of all patients who underwent treatment for liver hydatid disease from the period of January 2014 till January 2016 Results: 46 patients with liver hydatid disease were included in the study. 27 patients (58.7%) were males and the rest were females (41.3%). The most common presentation was abdominal pain (26.1%), bloated abdomen (9%) and a palpable mass in the right upper quadrant in 2 patients (4%). The majority of the patients (70%) were diagnosed to have isolated liver hydatid disease. Various procedures were performed; enucleation and drainage in 22 patients (49.5%), cystectomy in 13 patients (28%), partial hepatectomy was done in 1 patient (2 %), thorocotmy and phrentomy as one stage were used in 12 patients (26%) who have combined cyst in the right lung and liver. Postoperative complications were seen in 10 patients (21%) in which the recurrence rate was the highest complication (17%). Conclusion: Results suggest the safety and efficacy of radical procedures in the surgical management of liver hydatid disease and selecting the suitable method is individualized depending on many factors which has an important role in lowering morbidity, mortality, and the recurrence rate.