Treatment of pulmonary hydatid cysts: a single-center analysis of 872 cases

Abstract OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to investigate the importance of pulmonary parenchyma preservation, the results of cystotomy and capitonnage technique, and the efficacy of postoperative albendazole treatment. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted at a single center between 2000 and 2024, encompassing 872 consecutive patients with pulmonary hydatid cysts. RESULTS Of the cases, 394 (45.2%) were female and 478 (54.8%) were male, with a mean age of 26.8 ± 19.7 years (range: 2–86 years). Isolated lung involvement was observed in 553 (63.4%) cases. In general, a single hydatid cyst was detected in 665 (76.3%) patients, and 466 (53.4%) of these had isolated lung involvement. In 452 cases (51.8%), only the right lung was affected, while 294 (33.7%) had left lung involvement, and 126 (14.5%) had bilateral lung involvement. Surgical treatment was performed in 807 (92.5%) cases. Cystotomy and capitonnage were performed in 782 (89.7%) patients. Thoracoscopic wedge resection was performed in 13 cases (1.5%), cystotomy alone in 5 cases (0.6%), lobectomy in 5 cases (0.6%), and enucleation with capitonnage in 2 cases (0.2%). Postoperative complications included atelectasis in 45 cases (5.6%), prolonged air leak in 8 cases (1.0%), empyema in 6 cases (0.7%), wound infection in 3 cases (0.4%), and bleeding in 2 cases (0.2%). Recurrence was observed in 4 (0.5%) surgically treated cases, and one case (0.1%) resulted in mortality in the postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS The management of pulmonary hydatid cysts with cystotomy and capitonnage is feasible in the majority of patients and results in acceptable success rates and complications. Postoperative albendazole administration has been shown to be an effective method of preventing recurrence.