Does primary surgical management of liver hydatid cyst influence recurrence?

Background and aims: Hydatid disease is still a major health problem in sheep-raising areas. Surgery remains the basic treatment for liver hydatid cyst (LHC). However, recurrences can occur after all therapies. Surgery for recurrence of LHC becomes technically more difficult with higher rate of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine perfective factors associated to hepatic recurrence after LHC surgery and to propose and discuss postoperative follow-up schedules. Methods: It is a retrospective cohort study of 672 patients with LHC treated at the surgery department "A" at Ibn Sina University Hospital, Rabat, Morocco, from January 1990 to December 2004. Recurrence rates have been analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method for patients undergoing surgery. Results: Fifty-six patients (8.5%) had LHC recurrence after surgery. There were 34 females (60.7%) and 22 males (39.3%). Median duration of recurrence's diagnosis was 24 months (interquartile range: 10-48 months). Recurrence's risk was 2.3% ± 0.6% at 1 year and 9.1% ± 1.3% at the 10th year. The history of LHC (hazard ratio, 2; 95% confidential interval, 1.13-3.59) and three cysts or more (hazard ratio, 3.8; 95% confidential interval, 2.07-6.98) was an independent risk factor for recurrence. Conclusion: We think that the surgeon's practice and experience are the most important to success the surgical treatment. It prevents complications and recurrences. © 2010 The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.