Intra-Abdominal Hydatid Cyst: Sociodemographics, Clinical Profiles, and Outcomes of Patients Operated on at a Tertiary Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background. Hydatid cyst is caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. The abdomen, specifically the liver, is the most common site affected. Objective. Determine the presentation patterns, types of surgical management, and outcomes of patients operated for intra-abdominal hydatid cyst (IAHC). Methodology. A retrospective descriptive study of patients admitted and operated for IAHC from September 1, 2011, to August 31, 2015. Results. Forty-two patients whose age ranged from 10 to 65 (mean of 37 years) were operated on. Females comprised 27 (64.3%) of the patients. The commonest presenting complaint was abdominal pain (41, 97.6%). Abdominal mass was documented in 23 (54.7%) cases. Abdominal ultrasound (AUS) and CT were the main imaging studies done on 38 (90.5%) and 24 (57.1%) patients, respectively. Cysts measuring more than 10 cm in diameter were the most common finding in both studies. Liver was the primary site involved, 30 (71.4%) cases, the right lobe being the main side, 73%. Thirty-eight (90.5%) patients underwent deroofing, evacuation, marsupialization, and omentoplasty (DEMO). There was no perioperative death, but 4 (9.5%) of the patients had post-op complications. Conclusion. Abdominal pain was the most common presenting complaint. AUS and CT remain the preferred imaging. DEMO was the most common surgery.