Pre-operative albendazole therapy for hydatid cyst.

Surgical management of hydatid cyst is associated with recurrence in 10 per cent of patients. The role of perioperative chemotherapy in prevention of recurrence has not been extensively explored. Sixteen patients with Echinoccus granulosus were treated with albendazole 10 mg kg-1 before operation; of fourteen patients who received albendazole for 1 month or more before operation only one (with doubtful therapeutic compliance) had viable protoscoleces, in contrast both of the two remaining patients who received only 1 and 3 weeks therapy had live disease at the time of operation. A 1 month pre-operative course of albendazole kills most if not all protoscoleces within hydatid cysts in man. This may allow pre-operative 'sterilization' of cysts and a reduction in the risk of recurrence.