Vertebromedullary hydatidosis: a case report

Abstract

Introduction and importance: The contamination of humans with the larval form of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus results in the parasitic disease known as hypatidosis. Even though hydatid disease is widespread in Maghreb nations, bone hydatidosis is still uncommon. Case presentation: This article presents the case of a 12-year-old child with no particular pathological antecedent, who presents a spinal cord compression syndrome evolving gradually for 2 weeks whose objective clinical examination found a 2/5 paraparesis with a sharp pyramidal syndrome and subxiphoid sensory level. Medullary MRI has objectified an aspect of hydatid cysts at the level of D8 D9 and D10 compressing the spinal cord. Clinical discussion: Management was surgical by decompression by laminectomy of stage D8, D9, and D10 under general anesthesia and put on albendazole, the diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination, the evolution was marked by a partial recovery of deficit. Conclusions: Clinical symptomatology is vague with a gradually inescapable movement towards spinal or root pressure.