Efficacy of Preoperative Albendazole on Protoscoleces Viability in Hydatid Cyst of the Liver

Ali  Vahidirad; Mostafa  Mansouri; Ali  Shamshirian; Fariba  Berenji; Mohammad Reza Motie

doi:10.18502/ijpa.v17i4.11274

Ali Vahidirad Department of Surgery, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
Mostafa Mansouri Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Ali Shamshirian Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Fariba Berenji Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Mohammad Reza Motie Surgical Oncology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijpa.v17i4.11274

Keywords: Albendazole; Hydatid cyst; Echinococcus granulosus

Abstract

Background: Optimal duration for medical therapy of liver hydatid cysts before surgery in not certainly defined yet. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of 2 weeks preoperative albendazole in decreasing viable cysts.

Methods: Patients referring to Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad, Iran with a diagnosis of hepatic hydatid cyst were randomly divided into intervention (44 patients) and control (46 patients) groups. The case group were treated with oral albendazole before surgery and the control group underwent surgery without albendazole therapy. Efficacy of albendazole on the reduction of prevalence and viability of the protoscoleces was finally evaluated.

Results: A number of 90 patients were included in the final analysis. Protoscoleces were reported alive in 10 (22.7%) and 17 (36.9%) of patients in the case and control group, respectively. The decrease of live protoscoleces in case group was not statistically significant (P=0.14).

Conclusion: Decrease in the viability of protoscoleces in hepatic hydatid cysts after 2 weeks administration of oral albendazole at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day preoperatively, is not significant. Optimal duration of medical treatment before surgery seems to be 4 weeks or more.