Isolated gastrocnemius hydatid cysts: a case report

Hydatid cysts generally involve the liver and the lungs. Exclusive involvement of muscle is extremely uncommon, especially calf muscles. We report a case of hydatid cyst in gastrocnemius muscle. A 38 year old female presented with painless right calf mass of one year. Radiological tests showed a cystic lesion suggestive of hydatid cyst in the calf with no liver or lung involvement .Surgical excision of two gastrocnemius cysts was done and the patient was started on Albendazole. The patient had an uneventful recovery. Final histopathological report confirmed the diagnosis of hydatid cyst. Hydatid cyst should be included in the differential diagnosis of any soft tissue mass, especially in endemic areas