RESUMO
Context: The spillage of hydatid material, during surgery for hydatid cysts, may lead to secondary cyst formation due to the implantation of the protoscolices, A number of chemical scolicidal agents are injected into the hydatid cyst prior to its surgical removal as a prophylactic measures against the cyst material implantation, To measure the efficacy of four commonly used chemical scolicidal agents in rendering the contents of the hydatid cyst unviable, Design: Descriptive case-series with in-vitro measurement of viability of protoscolices in surgically removed, scolicidal injected hydatid cysts. Participants and setting: Thirty-four fresh fertile hydatid cysts from liver, lung and kidney were obtained following surgical removal in Al-Zahrawy teaching hospital between September 1995 and September 1996.The parasitological work was conducted in the Parasitology Laboratory, College of Medicine University of Mosul. Main outcome measures: The 34 cysts were categorized into four groups according to the scolicidal agent injected in the cysts before their surgical removal. The scolicidal used are 1% hibitane, 10% formalin, 30% hypertonic saline and 50% hydrogen peroxide. All 34 specimens were examined at 1 hour, as well as 12, 24, 48, 60, and 72 hours to count the cysts with viable protoscolices 1% hibitane and 10% formalin succeeded in reducing the number of viable protoscolices to about one third within one hour, 30% hypertonic saline and 50% hydrogen peroxide were less efficacious of the four scolicidals, 1% hibitane and 10% formalin used as scolicidal agents showed a minimal survival rate of the protoscolices [SR 38%], while the use of 30% hypertonic saline and 50% hydrogen peroxide. showed a maximal protoscolices survival rate [SR 67%], Thus, the use of hibitane and formalin solutions have high scolicidal effect