[Pulmonary hydatid cyst presenting as dysphonia]

[Intrapleural rupture of pulmonary hydatid cysts]

INTRODUCTION

Intrapleural rupture of pulmonary hydatid cyst (PHC) is a rare but dangerous complication. The purpose of this study was to report the characteristics of this form of thoracic hydatidosis and analyze the favoring factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between 1996 and 2011, 75 patients were operated in our department for PHC ruptured in the pleura (PHCP). The characteristics of this group were compared with those of a control group of 300 patients randomly selected from patients operated during the same period for PHC.

RESULTS

PHCP patients were younger than controls (23 years old vs. 27,56) (P=0.03) with male predominance (70% vs. 46%) (P=0.01). The PHCP were often located in the lower lobes (64% vs. 48%) (P=0.03). Anatomic resections were more used in control group (P=0.03) whereas decortication and pleurectomy were more frequently in PHCP (P=0.001).

CONCLUSION

Young age, male sex, and basal locations of PHC promote their rupture in the pleura. Surgical treatment of these cysts requires less anatomic resections but more decortication and pleurectomy.

[An anterior mediastinal mass of rare etiology]

Hydatid cyst of the mediastinum is very uncommon. The diagnosis, usually evident in endemic regions in the case of a typical clinical-radiological presentation, is rather more difficult in certain atypical forms. We report a case of a 19-year-old man who presented with a mass of tumour like appearance in the anterior mediastinum. The diagnosis of mediastinal hydatid cyst was established by transthoracic needle biopsy and endoscopic bronchial aspiration revealed hydatid membranous debris. The diagnosis was confirmed when the mediastinal cyst ruptured into a bronchus. Thoracotomy was carried out with an uneventful post-operative recovery. This observation illustrates the diagnostic difficulties when a mediastinal hydatid cyst presents the appearances of a tumour. This possibility must be included in the differential diagnosis of every mediastinal mass, particularly in endemic regions.