Intracranial Hydatid Cysts: Diagnosis and Treatment

The authors present five cases of intracranial hydatid cysts managed at the neurosurgical department between 1993-2002. The average age of presentation was 9.4 years. Four patients (80%) were in the first decade of life. Main presentations were headache, vomiting, blurring of vision and focal neurological deficit. Radiological investigation included computerised tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR). Two patients had multiple intracranial cysts. Two patients had cyst in the lateral ventricle. The commonest location was in the parietal lobe (4 cases). Total excision of the cyst was done in three cases. Recurrence was seen in two cases as result of rupture of the cyst during the first surgery.