[Primary paravertebral hydatid cyst: a case report]

Eating the egg of Echinococcus granulosus tapeworm in vegetables contaminated with dog's fecal material is the main cause of hydatid cyst. The most common involved organ is liver and the second are lungs. Spinal involvement especially primary involvement of paravertebral soft tissue without vertebral and extradural involvement is very rare. We report a case with paravertebral hydatid cyst without vertebral involvement. A 61 years old man patient resident of Torbatjam, Khorasan Razavi provience, was admitted to our department complaining a mass in back from six years ago. In physical examination he had several right paravertebral masses. MRI reveals a huge multilocular mass in the right paraspinal from T1 to L5 that is accompanied by ribs erosion without destruction. Operation was performed and the cyst was completely removed while contained several liquid-filled cysts, the hydatid-like cysts. Pathological findings were confirmed the diagnosis. Albendazole [10mg/kg] was prescribed postoperatively for six months. Recurrence has not occurred after two years follow up. Hydatid disease is a major infectious disease that is a main problem in many countries. In some articles paravertebral involvement without vertebral and extradural involvement is reported but primary paravertebral involvement with hydatid cyst is very rare. In this case we report paravertebral without vertebral involvement and the patient did not show any sign of spinal and vertebral pressure. In spite of the fact that hydatid cyst involves liver and lungs more than other organs, it can involve any organ and this point should be taken into consideration especially in the endemic areas.

[Pelvic hydatid cyst with uncommon sciatalgia manifestation: a case report]

Hydatid disease or echinococcosis is a common parasitic disease of human and bovine, caused by infection with larva of the cestode echinococcus. Liver is the most common organ that is involved in this disease. Pelvic involvement and neurological symptoms, due to mass effect of pelvic involvement, in lower extremities are very uncommon manifestations of the disease. A forty six year old man was referred to clinic of surgery at Ghaem Hospital, Medical University of Mashhad, Iran. The patient complained about weakness and motor impairment in right lower extremity accompanied by numbness and radicular pain over past two months. Physical examination demonstrated muscular atrophy and reduced muscular strength in right lower extremity. Computed tomography and ultrasonographic studies showed a cystic mass in right side of the pelvic cavity with extention to the sciatic notch and another cystic mass in right gluteal region. Surgical operation revealed a cystic mass deep in pelvic cavity with the extention to the right sciatic notch with compression of nerve roots. The cystic mass was contained of daughter cysts which confirmed the diagnosis of hydatid cyst disease. This diagnosis was confirmed by pathologic assessment. Although uncommon, but hydatid disease can involve the pelvic cavity and make a pelvic, usually cystic, mass; that can make compression on nerve roots and so making neurologic symptoms in lower extremities. So in endemic areas for hydatid disease, such as Iran, pelvic hydatid cysts should be considered as a possible differential diagnosis in patients presenting with the sciatic pain and neurological manifestations in whom a pelvic mass has been found too.

[Adult choledochal cysts in 23 patients: a brief report]

Choledochal cyst is a congenital disease of hepatobiliary system. Patients with the disease differ in terms of gender and symptoms. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the patients from clinical signs and symptoms, diagnostic methods and treatment perspectives. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the data from the medical records of patients with choledochal cyst admitted in Ghaem and Omid hospitals affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in Mashhad, Iran during 1994 to 2011. The medical records of 23 [18 women and 5 men] patients were evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 24.6 years. The most common type of the disease was choledochal cyst type 1. The most common type of surgery performed in the patients, respectively was resection of biliary cyst, cholecystectomy and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. No mortality was observed during the hospital stay or follow-up period. Surgical complications were minor and patients recovered by conservative measures. Regarding the favorable results of surgical treatment of choledochal cysts, timely and definite diagnosis of this congenital anomaly and proper planning for its surgery are of special importance.

[Esophagogastric mesenchymal tumors: analysis of 24 patients]

Gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors are classified as tumors that originate from smooth muscles. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors [GIST] are the most common types of the proposed tumors and can be seen in the GI tract from the esophagus to the anus, but they are mostly seen in the stomach. Mostly from the stomach and asymptomatic, the majority of patients would benefit from surgery as the best method of treatment. In this retrospective study we evaluated the data of patients with the diagnosis of esophageal or gastric mesenchymal tumors admitted in Ghaem and Omid Hospitals affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in Iran, from 1992 to 2010. We analyzed factors such as age, sex, presenting symptoms and signs, diagnostic methods, types of pathology, types of treatment, morbidity, mortality and 3-year survival rates. Twenty four patients [16 male, 8 female] with a mean age of 50 were included in the study. The common site of tumor was gastric fundus. The most common symptom at the time of diagnosis was epigastric fullness which was observed in almost 50% of the patients. The most common type of surgery in the patients was subtotal gastrectomy and no hospital mortality was recorded. Paralytic ileus was the commonest complication seen in five patients [20.5%]. Adjuvant therapy had been performed in eight patients [33.1%]. Following the patients three years postoperatively, there were only three deaths [12.45%]. Regarding to the low mortality and morbidity of the surgeries, surgical treatment, if tolerated, is recommended for all Esophagogastric mesenchymal tumors patients