An unusual manifestation of hydatid disease: A case in a 20-year old male patient

Abstract

Echinococcosis is a re-emerging public health issue in developing countries as most communities are homes to dogs and other domesticated animals while cattle raising is a major habit of most sub-Saharan countries. The usual presentations include liver and lung cysts. While few documentations and publications have been made on extra-pulmonary intrathoracic hydatid cysts in other parts of the world, there has been no published document on extra-pulmonary intrathoracic hydatid cysts consisting of eighty or more cystic masses in a single patient in Ethiopia. We present a case of right sided extra-pulmonary intrathoracic hydatid cysts in a 20-year old Ethiopian male patient with compressive respiratory symptoms and significant social history of cohabiting with dogs throughout childhood. The patient was treated by surgery via a posterolateral thoracotomy and had a smooth Post-operative course and discharged home on postoperative day 15 on albendazole and analgesics. Intraoperative findings included approximately 1500 ml of cystic fluid, eighty cystic masses and collapsed lung.