Peritoneal echinococcosis.

Peritoneal echinococcosis is rare, even in areas where hydatid disease is endemic. Although the liver and lungs are the organs most commonly involved, peritoneal echinococcosis, either primary or secondary, represents an uncommon but significant manifestation of the disease. We reviewed the medical records of 121 patients with abdominal echinococcosis operated on in our department over the past 12 years. Peritoneal echinococcosis was found in 17 patients, usually combined with liver disease. The presenting symptoms were mostly atypical, and a few cases were discovered accidentally during routine follow-up after operations for hepatic echinococcosis. Surgery remains the best curative or palliative treatment for peritoneal echinococcosis, although anthelmintics can be an effective alternative for the treatment of small and asymptomatic cysts.