Hydatid liver cysts: Surgical outcomes from a tertiary care center

Hydatidosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus species, predominantly affecting the liver. This study presents the clinical characteristics, surgical outcomes, and complications of hydatidosis in a series of patients with hydatid liver cysts. A retrospective review was conducted of 18 patients with liver hydatid cysts treated surgically between 2016 and 2024. Data were extracted from medical records and included demographics, clinical presentation, radiological findings, laboratory values, surgical details, and postoperative complications. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the findings. The mean age of the patients was 47.0 ± 16.5 years, and the individuals had a mean body mass index (BMI) of 26.8 ± 4.1 kg/m 2 . Abdominal pain was the most common presenting symptom (66.6 %), and 22.2 % of cases were asymptomatic. Imaging confirmed single cysts in 66.7 % of patients and multiple cysts in 33.3 % of patients; cystobiliary fistulas were present in 22.2 % of patients. Surgical approaches included laparotomy (66.7 %) and laparoscopy (27.8 %), with intraoperative cystobiliary communications observed in 44.4 % of patients. Postoperative complications included electrolyte imbalances (50.0 %), biliary leaks (27.8 %), wound infections (11.1 %), and a single case of mortality. Hydatid cyst recurrence occurred in 16.7 % of patients. Liver hydatid cysts pose significant clinical and surgical challenges, particularly in cases of biliary involvement. While surgery remains the primary treatment, meticulous intraoperative and postoperative care is essential to minimize complications and recurrence. Future studies should focus on optimizing surgical strategies and long-term follow-up.