RESUMO
Pulmonary hydatid cyst is a common disorder in many areas of the world. In Yemen, echinococcosis is an endemic disease, however, hydatid disease of the lung is uncommon and usually caused by Echinococcus granulosus. We present a case of a 23-year old female who complained of shortness of breath, dry cough and left-sided dull aching pain for the past few weeks. Chest X-ray revealed a large, well-demarcated mass involving the left mid and lower lung zones with mediastinal shift to the right. Computed tomographic scan revealed a giant, low attenuation fluid density mass with enhancing wall. The diagnosis of giant hydatid cyst was confirmed by surgery and histopathological examination. Pulmonary hydatid cyst can assume a very large size without causing any symptoms and can be discovered incidentally while performing chest X-ray for another reason.
RESUMO
Introduction: Hydatidosis is a neglected parasitic disease that is endemic in Chile. We present the clinical experience of a single center in Santiago from 1996 to 2010. Methods: Cases were identified using hospital's database. Clinical and pathological features, treatment and outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. Results: In total, 23 patients were identified requiring 30 surgical interventions. Median age was 40 years old (range 5 to 73), and 76.5% visited or resided in regions of known endemicity in Chile. Abdominal cysts were predominant (78.3%), and most patients were symptomatic (73.9%). Elimination of cyst material by cough was reported in 42.9% of patients with symptomatic thoracic cysts. Eosinophilia was present in 41.2% of patients, and 57.1% had positive serology for hydatidosis. Aill patients underwent surgical treatment, in 60.9% in combination with albendazole treatment. While the majority of liver cysts (88.9%) were treated by complete cyst resection, lung cysts (83.3%) were predominantly treated by cyst resection plus capitonnage. Pathological examination revealed fertile cysts in 24%. Postsurgical morbidity was frequent (37.9%), and 13.3% of the series required readmission for this cause. Near 25% of patients remained in hospital > 14 days, a feature associated with fever during admission (p < 0.05). No recurrence was reported in the fraction of patients that were followed-up for 2 years or more. Conclusions: Our analysis of 23 cases demonstrates that patients were mainly adults suffering from abdominal cysts. Most patients were successfully treated by surgery with or without antiparasitic drugs but complications leading to prolonged hospital stays and readmissions were not infrequent.
Introducción: La hidatidosis es una enfermedad endémica en Chile. Se presenta la experiencia clínica de un hospital en Santiago, desde 1996 al 2010. Métodos: Los casos fueron identificados usando las bases de datos institucionales y se analizaron las características clínicas y patológicas, el tratamiento y la evolución en forma retrospectiva. Resultados: Se identificaron 23 pacientes intervenidos en 30 oportunidades. La mediana de edad fue de 40 años (rango 5 a 73) y 76,5% visitó o residía en zonas endémicas en Chile. Los quistes abdominales fueron predominantes (78,3%) y la mayor parte de los pacientes eran sintomáticos (73,9%). Un 42,9% de aquellos con quistes sintomáticos torácicos reportó eliminación de vesículas con la tos. Un 41,2% presentó eosinofilia y 57,1% tuvo serología positiva para hidatidosis. Todos los pacientes fueron tratados quirúrgicamente, en 60,9% en combinación con albendazol. La mayoría de los quistes hepáticos fueron tratados con cirugía radical (88,9%) y los pulmonares predominantemente con quistostomía y capitonaje (83,3%). Un 24% de los quistes eran fértiles. La morbilidad post-quirúrgica fue frecuente (37,9%) y 13,3% de la serie requirió reingresos por esta causa. Cerca de 25% de los pacientes estuvo hospitalizado por más de 14 días, un fenómeno asociado con la presencia de fiebre por complicación séptica al ingreso (p < 0,05). No se registraron recurrencias en la fracción de pacientes seguidos por más de dos años. Conclusiones: La hidatidosis afecta principalmente a adultos en su cavidad abdominal. Aunque los pacientes fueron tratados exitosamente con cirugía, las complicaciones, estadías prolongadas y reingresos por esta causa no fueron infrecuentes.