Hydatid Cyst Lung

Hydatid cyst of lung is a parasitic infection that may be diagnosed incidentally when the patient is asymptomatic or may present with life-threatening symptoms. These cysts are caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus.

Chest x-rays may provide diagnostic clues for hydatid cystic disease (HCD). Uncomplicated and intact, or unperforated, cysts may be diagnosed as solitary or multiple oval lesions with regular fine margins.

Chest computed tomography (CT) provides the best radiologic study. Hydatid cysts generally appear as a solitary, well defined cyst. In the lung fields, surgery provides the best cure for uncomplicated or simple disease in lungs.

The aim of surgical treatment is to eradicate the parasitic disease from endocyst, prevent intraoperative seeding, close the bronchial fistula, permit the total excision of the cyst, and maximize the preservation of healthy lung tissue.