SOME RARE PRESENTATIONS OF HYDATID CYST (ECHINOCOCCUS-GRANULOSUS)

Among all the cases of hydatid disease seen in an 8-year period at Asi r Central Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia, seven cases are reported here because of their unusual presentations. One patient had a brain hydati d cyst which presented as a space-occupying lesion. The second patient presented with symptoms and signs of cardiac tamponade due to pericar dial hydatidosis. The third female had multiple abdominal and pelvic h ydatid cysts causing vague abdominal pain, chronic ill-health and prim ary infertility. The fourth case was a huge single hydatid cyst fillin g the whole abdominal cavity and involving multiple organs. The fifth case presented with simultaneous involvement of the liver, right diaph ragm and pleura with hydatidosis. The sixth case involved the left dia phragm and the patient presented with clinical picture simulating pleu risy. The last patient presented with a hydatid cyst of the right thig h. Even though there was no mortality in these patients, there was dis abling morbidity. We conclude that Echinococcus granulosus can affect any organ in the body and a high suspicion of this disease is justifie d in endemic regions. Moreover, medical treatment should precede and f ollow the surgical intervention.