CASE REPORTS   

Journal of Neurosurgical Sciences 2010 June;54(2):79-82

Copyright © 2010 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

A medically treated multiple cerebral hydatid cyst disease

Altas M. ¹, Aras M. ¹, Serarslan Y. ¹, Davran R. ², Evirgen O. ³, Yilmaz N. ¹ ✉

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, Tayfur Ata Sökmen Medical Faculty, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey; ² Department of Radiology, Tayfur Ata Sökmen Medical Faculty, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey; ³ Department of Infectious Disease, Tayfur Ata Sökmen Medical Faculty, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey

Echinococcosis is a potentially fatal parasitic disease that can affect many animals and humans. The disease results from infection by tapeworm larvae of the genus Echinococcus – notably, E. granulosus, E. multilocularis, E. vogeli and E. oligarthrus. Cyst hydatid disease is usually seen in adults, and mainly affects liver and/or lungs (90%). Cerebral involvement is very rare (1-3%), and more common in children. Therapy consists of medical treatment and surgical intervention if it is possible. The authors report the case of a 55-year-old male patient with multiple intracranial hydatid cysts, who was successfully treated with albendazole (10 mg/kg/day) alone without any surgical intervention.