Treatment Method of Hydatid Disease in Children, which is A Problem in Developing Countries

Objective: Hydatid disease (HD) is a parasitic disease caused by ingesting Echinococcus granulosus parasite eggs. HD is a common disease in developing countries. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and outcomes of medical, percutaneous, and surgical treatments in pediatric HD cases. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on pediatric patients diagnosed with HD between January 2013 and January 2023. Data on patients were analyzed. The files of 93 patients who had treatment of 112 hydatid cysts were reviewed. Results: In the study, hydatid cysts were most frequently seen in the liver (65,6%), followed by multiple organ involvement (28.9%) and isolated lung involvement (13%). All patients received medical treatment. The mean hospital stay was 6.86 days, Percutaneous treatment by puncture-aspiration-injection-re-aspiration ( PAIR) of liver cysts was associated with a shorter stay than surgical cases. The recurrence rates were similar in the PAIR- and surgical-treated groups, and the procedure time was shorter in the PAIR group. However, the complication rate was higher in the PAIR group. Conclusion: E. granulosus can cause hydatid cysts in more than one organ at the same time, and the most common sites are the liver, lung and spleen. To achieve the highest success rate, with fewest complications, treatment selection should be made according to the localization of the cyst, its size, and the patient's condition.