Hydatid cyst in the third ventricle of the brain: case report of an exceptionally rare condition.

Hydatid disease is an endemic zoonotic disease caused by the cestode Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus granulosus. Intra-ventricular hydatid cysts are extremely rare. Even more rarely, and to the best of our knowledge, only three cases of third ventricle involvement have been reported. Herein, we present the fourth case of an intraventricular hydatid cyst in a pediatric patient located in the third ventricle. It is about a 7-year-old girl, of a rural origin, admitted for intracranial hypertension, deterioration of the general status, and weakness on the right side of her body. A cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed the presence of a rounded cystic formation in the third ventricle. The patient was operated through a transfrontal transventricular approach, and the cyst was removed. Postoperative course was uneventful. Hydatid disease should be considered part of the differential diagnosis for cystic lesions of the central nervous system, especially in endemic regions. Total removal of the cysts without rupture is a challenge, but best treatment remains an active nationwide prevention.