Intra-abdominal extrahepatic echinococcosis.

Twenty-seven patients who were treated surgically because of extrahepatic abdominal hydatid disease between 1981 and 1999 were retrospectively reviewed. Nineteen patients had coexistent hepatic cysts while 8 patients had only peritoneal cysts. The cysts were located in the spleen, pancreas, adrenal gland, mesentery of the intestines, ovaries, retroperitoneum, omentum, abdominal wall, rectovesical region, and the psoas muscle. Due to organ destruction because of large cysts in 8 patients, the involved organ had to be sacrificed. The other 19 patients were treated by a pericystectomy. No postoperative mortality or severe morbidity was seen. In conclusion, symptomatic or large cysts should be surgically treated. In cases suspected of having peritoneal spillage, antihelminthic drugs should be administered. In addition, small asymptomatic cysts may also be effectively treated with antihelminthics.