Experience with video-assisted thoracoscopic removal of pulmonary hydatid cysts in children.

Pulmonary hydatid disease is prevalent in many parts of world including India. In our small series of 5 pediatric patients, all patients were diagnosed with clinical and radiological findings on plain X-ray chest and CT (Computed Tomography) chest. All of them received oral albendazole 10 mg/kg/day soon after diagnosis except in one patient in which preoperative differential diagnosis was bronchogenic cyst and lung abscess (case 4). All underwent video assisted thoracoscopy. Simple endotracheal intubation was utilized in all cases along with CO(2) insufflation. Complete thoracoscopic removal was successful in 3 cases, while conversion to open thoracotomy was required in 2 cases. All of them showed rapid recovery except for one patient in whom prolonged intercostal drainage was present for 2 weeks. The average duration of procedure was 150 minutes and average length of hospital stay was 4.5 days except case 2, which was discharged on day 15 due to prolonged air leak. Histopathology in all cases was suggestive of hydatid cyst. At mean follow up of 6 months, all patients are asymptomatic and doing well.