[Primary and isolated phrenic hydatid cyst in Tunisia]

An uncommon way of revelation of a primary diaphragmatic hydatid cyst: A case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Diaphragmatic hydatid cyst is a misdiagnosed condition. The challenge is to suspect this rare entity on nonspecific clinical features and to localize the cyst on imaging in order to determine the surgical approach. Surgery is the only curative treatment and confirmation is set on pathology examination.

CASE PRESENTATION

We present the case of a twenty-six-year-old patient, with no medical history, who complained of recurrent right thoracic pains rebel to opioids. All radiological items lead to suspect a diaphragmatic hydatid cyst. Surgery permitted a complete resection of the cyst and a total relief of the pains.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

The diagnosis of diaphragmatic hydatid cyst is a real challenge. Several diagnoses can be evoked such as hydatid disease depending from the liver, cystic lymphangioma or neural intercostal benign tumor. The phrenic origin of the cyst can only be identified through surgery. However, it is very important to clearly characterize the lesion to well conduct surgical approach.

CONCLUSION

It is important for surgeons to suspect diaphragmatic hydatid cysts despite its rarity. CT-scan and MRI are helpful tools to localize the disease and to conduct the surgical procedure. Final diagnosis is only set on pathology examination after curative surgery.

Diaphragmatic Multivesicular Hydatid Cyst

The hydatid cyst of the diaphragm is defined as the development of a hydatid cyst in the diaphragm muscle. Primary or secondary it stills a rare localization, accounting for 1% of the thoracic locations. We report a case of a hydatid cyst of diaphragm in a 57 -year-old female who was admitted to our clinic for right basithoracic pain. CT reported a giant hydatid cyst including multiple vesicles at the right lower thoracic cavity. Surgical exploration revealed an independent giant diaphragmatic hydatid cyst. We performed cystotomy and more than 100 daughter vesicles were removed from the cyst. The rest of the giant cyst cavity was excised.

[The surgery of diaphragmatic hydatidosis and their complications]

Primary or secondary diaphragmatic echinococcosis is rare, accounting for 1% of the thoracic locations. They may be operative discovery or by their complication, hence a variable symptomatology making this localization a particular entity. The thoracic and abdominal CT allows a complete assessment. Surgery remains the only therapeutic approach. In complicated forms an additional surgery is required for complete care. The prognosis is generally good apart from the risk of recurrence. Through a series of 4 operated patients, we focus on the clinical and therapeutic features of this pathology and its complications.

Extra-hepatic intra-abdominal hydatid cyst: which characteristic, compared to the hepatic location?

Hydatid cysts are mostly located in the liver, followed by the lung. Primary and isolated extrahepatic intra-abdominal hydatid cysts (PIEHC) are rare and only a few sporadic series have been reported. This article aims to study the epidemiological, diagnostic difficulties and therapeutic principles of PIEHC. More over, it aims to make comparison between PIEHC and the liver location of the cyst concerning all these data. We report a retrospective study from January 1995 to September 2010 concerning 34 patients who underwent surgical removal of a PIEHC. The mean age was 46 years. Abdominal pain was the main symptom, and was found in 27 patients (79.4 %). Physical examination revealed an abdominal mass in 19 patients (55.9 %). In 6 patients (17.6 %) the PIEHC was incidental. Abdominal ultrasound and abdominal CT scan helped to highlight all cystic masses. The diagnosis was established preoperatively in 28 patients (84.8 %). Five patients (14.7 %) were operated with a diagnosis other than PIEHC. The diagnosis was made intraoperatively in one case (2.9 %). A laparotomy in 24 cases (70 %) was the surgical approach often used. Majority of the patients, 25 cases (73.5 %), received a conservative procedure. Only 3 patients (8.8 %) had recurrences and were reoperated. The diagnosis of PIEHC is often facilitated by means of modern imaging, however, serious diagnostic problem were found with a pancreatic location of the cyst. Complete surgical excision, when possible without major sacrifice, seems to be the best therapeutic option to reduce the risk of recurrence.