Errors and hazards in the surgical treatment of hepatic echinococcosis

The article analyses the results of operative treatment of 455 patients for hydatid disease of the abdominal organs, in particular the errors and hazards of surgical management of hydatid disease of the liver. Difficulties occur in the differential diagnosis in suppuration of hydatid cysts which had not been operated on, as well as in residual cavities in patients who had undergone surgery for this disease. The authors dwell on the diagnostic algorithm and the surgical tactics depending on the size and location of the hydatid cysts. Some problems of the operative techniques and intraoperative measures for the prevention of recurrences in complicated forms of hepatic hydatid disease are discussed. The suggested diagnostic algorithm and the surgical tactics allowed the authors to reduce diagnostic errors in this pathological condition to 3.5% and surgical mortality rates to 3.07%.