Hepatic Hydatid cyst in children: An experience from East of Turkey

Abstract

İntoduction: Hydatid cyst is a parasitic disease caused by the infection of Echinococcus granulosus and rarely Echinococcus alveolaris eggs, which are endemic in our country. Current treatment options for liver hydatid cysts; They can be listed as medical treatment, surgical treatment, percutaneous drainage and clinical follow-up only. In this study, the effectiveness of the WHO-IWGE protocol in terms of diagnosis and treatment strategies in our pediatric cases of liver hydatid cyst in a health institution in eastern Turkey was evaluated in the light of the literature. Material Method: Pediatric patients between the ages of 0-16 who were diagnosed with KcKH and followed up and treated were evaluated retrospectively. In pre-operative evaluation, lung radiography, abdominal ultrasonography, serological tests, hemogram and liver function tests were routinely performed. Results: 250 child patients between the ages of 0 and 16, whose data were fully available, were included in the study. 118 of the cases were girls and 132 were boys. The average age was 11.2 years. Most of the KcKH patients were admitted to the hospital for another reason and the cyst was detected incidentally. Of the 65 patients requiring surgery, 17 were patients who initially underwent primary intervention with PAIR. Patients who underwent PAIR were observed for one night and discharged in an average of 18 hours. Patients with free drainage were discharged in 2-4 days. The average length of stay for patients who underwent open surgery was found to be 9 days. In conclusion; The Gharbi classification updated by WHO is effective and reliable in determining the KcKH treatment strategy. In cases who are receiving chemotherapy and an intervention decision is made, a final USG is performed just before the procedure; It can provide both a change in treatment management and more patients benefiting from medical treatment.