A rare disease: a single-center experience of cerebral alveolar echinococcosis in 12 operated patients

M. Zeynal, M.E. Akyüz, M.H. Şahin, H. Alay, M.K. Karadağ, H.H. Kadıoğlu, C.F. Kara, M. Elveren

Department of Neurosurgery, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey. dr.metezeynal@gmail.com

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• Infectious Diseases
• Neurosurgery

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we have evaluated 12 patients with cerebral alveolar echinococcosis (AE). All patients underwent surgery for cerebral AE. We aimed to demonstrate the relationship between the demographic properties of patients and surgical outcomes as well as surgical suggestions about surgical approaches.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were analyzed according to demographic properties, hepatic/ pulmonary AE lesion existence, symptoms, neurological and radiological examination, histopathological findings, and outcome after treatment.

RESULTS: Preoperative diagnosis based on the history of the patient, neurological examination, serological tests, and radiology. When enhanced radiological imaging like MR-Tractography and intraoperative neuromonitoring is combined with precision surgical methods cerebral AE is treatable. Ten of twelve cerebral AE patients had favorable outcomes after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS: AE of the brain is a rare but life-threatening parasitic disease. Wherever the primary focus is, surgery for cerebral involvement of AE is challenging but safe with appropriate surgical techniques and the help of radiological examination.

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