Intra-abdominal extrahepatic echinococcosis

Twenty-seven patients who were treated surgically because of extrahepatic a bdominal hydatid disease between 1981 and 1999 were retrospectively reviewe d. Nineteen patients had coexistent hepatic cysts while 8 patients had only peritoneal cysts. The cysts were located in the spleen, pancreas, adrenal gland, mesentery of the intestines, ovaries, retroperitoneum, omentum, abdo minal wall, rectovesical region, and the psoas muscle. Due to organ destruc tion because of large cysts in 8 patients, the involved organ had to be sac rificed. The other 19 patients were treated by a pericystectomy. No postope rative mortality or severe morbidity was seen. In conclusion, symptomatic o r large cysts should be surgically treated. In cases suspected of having pe ritoneal spillage, antihelminthic drugs should be administered. In addition , small asymptomatic cysts may also be effectively treated with antihelmint hics.