HYDATID-DISEASE OF BONE WITH ADJACENT JOINT INVOLVEMENT - A RADIOLOGICAL FOLLOW-UP OF 12 YEARS

Osseous lesions have been reported in only 1-2% of patients with hydat id disease. Joint involvement is usually due to secondary extension fr om the adjacent bone, although primary hydatid synovitis after haemato genous spread of the infection can be seen. We present a long-term rad iological follow-up (12 yr) in a patient who developed hydatid disease of the left pelvic and femoral bones with cartilage destruction of th e ipsilateral hip joint. After a Girdlestone arthroplasty, she receive d mebendazole (3 g/day) for 10 yr and albendazole (400 mg/day) for 2 y r with radiological impairment of the lesions. Complete surgical excis ion is the treatment of choice for osseous hydatid disease. Isolated m edical therapy with mebendazole or albendazole is not adequate for con trolling the process, but it can be added to surgery or, as in our cas e, used like isolated therapy when complete excision is not possible.