A giant intracranial hydatid cyst excised in toto; Case report and review of literature

Abstract

Hydatid disease is caused by infestation of larvae of Taenia echinococcus (TE). The definite hosts of TE are various carnivores (meat eaters), and dog is the most common host. Sheep, cattle, goats and swine are common intermediate hosts. Humans are infected through faeco-oral route by the ingestion of food and milk, contaminated by dog faeces containing the ova of parasite or direct contact with dogs. Eggs lose their envelop in stomach and embryos are released, which then pass through the gut wall into the portal system and are carried to the liver where most of the larvae are entrapped and encysted. Some may reach the lungs and very rarely some may pass through the capillary filter of liver and lungs and enter into systemic circulation and reach intracranial cavity. We report a case of giant intracranial, right sided, extra axial hydatid cyst (HC) extending from right frontal region to occipital region which was removed in one piece without rupture by a procedure called hydro-dissection.