Hydatid cysts in children: report of 88 cases.

Eighty-eight children (37 female, 51 male) with hydatid cyst disease were treated at the Pediatric Surgery Clinic of Ankara SSK Hospital, Turkey, in the period from 1977 to 1987. The ages of the children ranged from 3 to 14 years; 79 (89.8%) were older than 6 years and only nine (10.2%) were under 6 years. Liver and lung were the most frequent sites of involvement. Various surgical techniques were used in the treatment of the cysts. In this series obliteration of the cyst cavity by suturing (capitonnage) and omentopexy proved to be the best choice of surgical treatment in order to minimize the morbidity.