Unusual case of hydatid in the chest, liver and pelvis

Abstract

A 55-year-old Caucasian male initially presented to the emergency department with a 4-week history of worsening cough, dyspnoea and chest pain. He had no bowel symptoms and no significant medical history. He is an office worker, lived rurally, with four dogs at home. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest demonstrated a large left loculated pleural effusion. Following cardiothoracic surgical review, he underwent a left thoracotomy at which time a large pleural cyst was encountered. He underwent decortication, aspiration and complete marsupialization of the cyst. An operative diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis (CE) was made. His hydatid IgG serology was positive. Post-operatively, he completed 2 weeks of praziquantel and 12 weeks of albendazole.Subsequently, a full CT scan of his abdomen and pelvis was performed, which demonstrated CE in the liver and the pelvis (Fig. 1).