Giant Cerebral Hydatid Cyst in a Five-Year Old Child: A Case-Report

Cerebral hydatid cyst is a rare condition even in endemic parts of the world, which usually happens in children. Huge cysts are usually presented with neurological deficits and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. Here, we present the case of a five-year-old child with solitary huge cerebral cyst.

A five-year old girl presented with symptoms of headache, nausea, and vomiting in the emergency department of Ninth of Dey Hospital, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran. She had referred to several doctors and received symptomatic treatments. In the initial impression, the patient had no neurological deficit but a suture splitting in physical examination and laboratory findings showed no eosinophilia. The brain computed tomography (CT) scan showed a huge cystic lesion suggestive for hydatid cyst. The cyst was removed intact and postoperative treatment with albendazole was initiated. The patient was discharged in good condition with no recurrences in a six-month follow-up.

Huge cerebral hydatid cyst is a very rare condition, usually occurring in solitary form and in children. Surgical removal and postoperative medical treatment should be considered in these cases.