Surgical treatment for hepatic alveolar echinococcosis: report of 50 cases.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study is to present the surgical treatment of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis and evaluate the treatment outcomes.

METHODOLOGY: A retrospective analysis was made on 50 patients admitted between 2000 and 2008. All the patients were divided into two groups, 26 patients for the radical surgery group and 24 for the palliative surgery group.

RESULTS

In the palliative surgery group, 10 patients died during the follow-up period, 2 patients presented with brain metastasis and 4 patients with lung metastasis, 1 patient had multiple lesions in the liver, 1 patient who received left hepatectomy had a new lesion in caudate lobe of the liver, 4 patients had postoperative jaundice, 3 had cholangitis and 4 patients had biliary leaks. There were also 3 patients lost in the follow-up period. In the radical surgery group, 22 patients were alive and asymptomatic without recurrence during the follow-up period, 3 patients had recurrent cholangitis and 4 patients had biliary leaks. Three patients were lost during the followup period in this group.

CONCLUSIONS

Radical resection appears to be best treatment of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis and palliative operation may cause a series of severe complications leading to death.