OBJECTIVETo approach the clinical characteristics and surgical treatment of children with pulmonary echinococcus.

METHODSRetrospective analysis of child patients with pulmonary echinococcus from January 1980 to December 2008 was carried out, associated with clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment, operation methods (complete removal of endocyst and cystectomy with needle aspiration), prognosis and recurrence. There were 93 patients (54 male and 39 female) aged from 2 to 14 years. There were 82 cases lived in the echinococcosis pulmonary endemic areas, accounting for 88.1% (82/93), and 79 cases of patients had obvious contact with dogs or sheep, accounting for 84.9% (79/93). There were 68 cases with simple pulmonary echinococcus accounted for 73.1% (68/93), 25 cases suffered from complexity pulmonary hydatid, accounting for 26.9% (25/93).

RESULTSAll patients were cured or improved after surgery except one dead. Six cases got postoperative pulmonary infection, 3 cases had wound infection, 1 case suffered from bile-pleura fistula. There were 76 patients (81.7%) followed up for 1 to 10 years after surgery. Five cases had recurrence, the recurrence rate was 5.4% (5/93).

CONCLUSIONSThe clinical symptoms of pulmonary echinococcus in children is not typical, misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis take place easily. Complete removal of endocyst has low postoperative complications and lower relapse rate.