Laparoscopically treated liver hydatid cysts.

HYPOTHESIS: Laparoscopy is effective and reliable in treating hepatic hydatid disease.

DESIGN

Case series of patients with hepatic hydatid disease who underwent laparoscopic treatment within 7 years.

SETTING

Department of General Surgery, Cerrahpasa Medical School, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.

PATIENTS: Forty-eight patients with hydatid disease who met our criteria for laparoscopic surgery and were aged 17 years or older.

INTERVENTIONS: Cystotomy and partial cystectomy with drainage were performed in 33 patients. Omentoplasty was simultaneously performed in 15 patients to obliterate the cystic cavity.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinicopathologic features, morbidity, mortality, operative time, length of hospital stay, conversion to laparotomy, and recurrences were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTS

The mean operative time was 82 minutes (range, 45-170 minutes). The conversion rate to open surgery was 4%. The mean postoperative length of hospital stay was 4.2 days. Morbidity was 6% (3 patients). There was no mortality. The mean follow-up was 34.2 months. No recurrences were observed during this period.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic hepatic hydatid surgery is a safe and effective method in selected patients. Further studies should be encouraged in this field because there is no universally accepted standard technique.